Dawn Of War: Fateful Journey
by Big Boss Pugh
Summary: After the glorious victory over the Daemon Prince of Slaanesh, the lives of the alliance will now face a threat bigger than ever. Max, Kayleth, Lucas, Veldoran, Lina, and Elenwe now must journey out beyond the halo zone of the galaxy and face the renegade space marine chapter known as the Sons of Malice. A dark war is coming and great evil will come to them in new ways.
1. Chapter 1

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _(Hi. Welcome to the 2_ _nd_ _addition of the continuing story that picks up where Dawn of War: Destiny War left off. I hope you enjoy the reading."_

" _Who are you? What delusions allow you to stand against me? You believe that you are special? You think that your birth in this galaxy will change everything? You are not special. You are just a lost soul among a sea of trillion souls. Your existence will bring nothing to the faithful that follow you. You are a mistake. You were born a mistake. You will take more than you can give. By the time you realize it, the reality of this life you live will strike you down. You are meant to fail. It is your fate to see your demise. And I will be there to show you the horror of it."_

 **Chapter 1: Section 1 - 1**

Everything in life goes through a series of changes. Many changes are destined; some are fated. There are even a few rare changes that shape the galaxy that fate and destiny did not foresee coming. In the Segmentum Pacificus region of the galaxy near the edge of the halo zone in the north west section, one change will alter the course of several lives. Resting just near the edge of the known galaxy, three planets hosted three wars. The Planet _Ragnar_ falls in and out of the warp; its last known record of its disappearance was seen when a force devoured the planet and pulled it into the warp. An ice world that houses an ancient foundry keeps improving on its systems and territory. Lastly, the planet _Saneesh_ shines brightly. Though still unexplored, the new inhabitants of Saneesh maintain a strong grip on the landscapes. It had only been two years since the last war. The war ended with the forces of order defeating the forces of darkness; now five million civilians of the imperium enjoy their new home. From the successful wars against the dark forces to the rebirth of Primarch Roboute Guilliman, the former imperial guard now dubbed **Imperial Guardians** , stand stronger than before. The city constructions still progress each day; there are resources used to enhance the new recruits of the imperial army's capabilities. They continue to improve, protect, and solidify Saneesh. Though signs of trouble are always occurring on Saneesh, many troops still remain alert for any signs of real danger. The Imperial Guardians proudly walk in formation and patrol areas still unlivable. As many imperial guardsmen and guardians continue their daily reports, many begin to believe that peace will reign forever on Saneesh. Guardsmen take in every moment of non-active duty to relax their senses; they allow their mind and body to be comfortable.

As the night time begins like so many others, the guardsmen enjoy the fine drink and food provided. Many guardians speak of the last great battle against the foul corruption that touched the land. Never in their life did any believe they would encounter such evil from men, women, orks, dark eldar, and daemons. The battle was won so long ago; many important people took power from the corrupted to reshape what they lost. Some guardsmen lost their allies, a friend, or a comrade-in-arms. Every so often at night, an alarm goes off that sends the guardsmen into full alert. Only when the screeching sound goes off do many guardsmen feel unsettled. Many of more highly trained imperial guardians stand anxious for any trouble to come; they yearn at times to test fire their new weapons. As tempting as it was to fire off a few rounds, the more senior officers forbid it. Several preachers of the Ecclesiarch condemn such thoughts as a small sign of taint. Though the accusation lead to a conflict, most disputes were easily resolved with words before a firing squad is called upon. After another long lasting three months of peace, an motion sensor goes off. The raw recruits of the imperial guardsmen respond as they normally did; however, many more alarms and motion detectors broadcast a great threat. It is time to mobilize the companies; every able person gears up and heads to the last known area the trouble is coming from. As the imperial guardians join the imperial guard conscripts, they all take aim and look out into the open landscape. Officers order their soldiers to be ready for the approaching threat. Every nerve sight of the soldiers now looks into the area ahead of them.

The ground shakes; the sky shatters. Everyone is amazed that the approaching enemy is an old foe they battled against before. Several imperial guardians smirk at the opportunity; however, many imperial guardsmen quake in their boots. The green muscle tide charges at them before they stop just outside of the firing area. Out from the back of green horde, the beast roars with a single word that its kind knows only best: _Waaaagh_!

The ork chieftain shouts, "Look at dis, ya gits! Dis iz why we ar ere! Da humies have ah city full of riches. I want all youz boyz to go in da city and kill all da humies. I'm leavin' to go finizh up me big surprize!"

As the war chief stomps away, the other orks roar loudly. The first few lines of orks charge at the imperial forces; many imperial guardsmen shake with fear as they see green muscles come charging at them with uncontrolled rage. A few guardsmen turn and run from the front. Shortly, the entire front line of the imperial guardsmen rally behind the first unfinished gate. Only the imperial guardians stand firm and do not run from the approaching wave. They didn't feel nervous; there is no signs of fear overcoming them. Less than one hundred guardians stand ready for the orks. As the new recruits look on, many comment on how unafraid the senior unit stands. They show no caution against the green horde; no signs of doubt shake their confidence. They all stand strong and wait for the battle to come at them.

One soldier says, "They'll be slaughtered to death. How will they win? The orks out-number them greatly."

A new voice adds, "They will overcome the orks by standing together and not cowering behind a wall. You are soldiers of the Imperium of Man. Stand with your allies and face the enemy without fear and grant no mercy; you won't overcome your fear if you don't face the dangers with your brothers-in-arms."

All the imperial guard recruits and conscripts are amazed and baffled; most imperial commanders and governor-militant leaders never come to the front. They stay behind at the base coordinating through communications and vox channels. Instead of getting their hands dirty, they stay out of the trenches and away from the carnage. He walks pass many new faces to join those that know him best; he is looked upon with great wonder and marveled. A few years ago, he held the rank of sergeant. Later on, he acquired the title of sergeant major. After the treachery of his former commander was made known, the high command granted him the authority of a Lord General shortly after a year as a commander. Not once did he ever think that he would be in charge of a massive imperial guard company. To this day, his officers look to him for war counsel; the soldiers of his regiment look to his leadership. To those lower than a sergeant, they see him as the next coming of a Lord Solar though he dismisses the advancement. After he joins his close allies and friends at the front, Lord General Militant Lucas Turner lets his voice ring loudly with a single sentence.

He says, "Let's give the orks the death they seek! We will hold the line and stop them here!"

The first line of imperial guardians fires their upgraded lasrifles. Many orks fall dead before they can get close to them. More orks fall to the soil and bleed out as the machine guns send bolter rounds into the targets. Not a single imperial guardian retreats nor do they shake with fear. Instead, they advance forward and prepare to swing their swords of righteousness. The imperial guard conscripts look on as they see an impressive sight. Imperial Guardians take the fight to the ork and ork nobs. They all fight with such bravery as they cut and gun down every ork in their way. The most impressive sight is hearing Lord General Militant Turner; he takes down several orks with ease and uses his armor to crash into others. Every swing of his blade lops off an ork at the head, arm, or leg. Each bolter shot shatters through the body of any ork not prepared; Lucas continues to let his voice ring loudly as he gives out orders.

He shouts, "The orks will press in! I need reinforcements to the front line at once! We got several wounded guardians down here that require a medic! Move those battle tanks up and open fire at the mobs coming! Do not let up!"

As the conscripts look on to see movement all around them, many slowly urge themselves forward to help others. The majority stay back for fear of what is still in front of them. A soldier gets shot in the face before their very eyes; the fear of dying keeps the masses of guardsmen back. Additional imperial guardians marched pass the imperial guard soldiers. An imperial guardian stops and looks at the faces of the conscripts and recruits. There is fear in their eyes; they are awe inspired by who they look upon. The person under the helmet feels moved to give them a few words of encouragement. The guardian lays the weapon down and unlatches the helmet. Once unlatched, person reveals the face that is underneath the gear.

 _ **"My name is Carl. I am a member of the Imperial Guardians that serve closely to Lord General Lucas Turner. I was once like you before I became what I am today. Easily afraid of the evils in the universe, I cower behind any rock or wall; I will always never forget why I am afraid of what lurks out there; however, I have a duty. My duty is to bring peace to the other worlds of the imperium and eliminate any threat to humanity. Now rise up! Rise up and march into the maw of war. Though you may wish to run and hide, all I ask of you is to hold the line. For if the brave fall, which will save those that cannot fight? The weak or what's left?"**_

Carl places his helmet back on and advances forward taking random shots. He takes down a few orks before moving close to the front. The guardsmen look at each other and the lasrifle they hold. The images of battle bring them so much to mind; they all know that each must keep the imperium alive. With their fear swept away, the imperial guardsmen let their own voices cry loudly. Lucas looks back to see the young, eager faces of the imperial guard come rushing up behind their back. The young officers ask for orders from their Lord General as they seek the honor of taking down the green skin tide. Lucas orders the new recruits to join his veteran soldiers on the front as they drive the ork horde back. A few guardsmen run to the front ready to do battle; they quickly join their allies by their side. Lucas proudly issues an order to have no cowards executed if they flee from battle. Though a few run away from the front, Lucas holds his companies of Imperial Guardians and Imperial Guardsmen together through conviction. As he takes the charge to the orks, Lucas reminds those who seek to forget their duty.

 _ **"The grave will be your resting place when all your deeds lay bare. For now, you must fight for what is yours and protect what is precious to you."**_

As the imperial forces score victory after victory against the orks, the vile beasts retreat back into the jungles to regroup and bring more. The imperial army cheers and celebrates their win over the impossible. Many are wounded and injured; several are dead. Lord General Turner retreats with his companies back to the headquarters of the new imperial fortress. He leaves three companies behind to watch out for more ork advances. As the other recruits march back into the center of the fortress, they share their victory over the orks with others. As the army readies their weapons and gear for any more orks, Lucas heads to the HQ. The walk leads him pass families and friends who praise him for all his achievements. He smiles and shows them that war has never tire him out; Lucas didn't let the mobs of orks distract him. All he did is smile at the success they achieve. At the HQ of the new fortress, a special person waits for him each day he returns from his battles.

After he enters the HQ, he sees commotion as always is never ending when there is much to do. The monitors flash red for more ork sightings throughout the land. Though a few orks have broken through the defenses of the imperial fortress, each defense has a series of traps for every step the orks take. In the south region, there are land mines, explosive bombs, and flame traps to keep the orks from advancing. To the west, many pit holes and traps stall the enemy from going too far in. In the northern landscape, the Skitarii legion takes turns day and night to scout out new territory for setting up ambushes. Lastly, a cliff that leads out to the sea lies to the east. A few smaller islands are close by, but none house any threats. As Lucas passes by the last monitors, he sees her busy with her devices and instructions. Though mostly mechanical in many areas, her thoughts are still human. Her heart beats with a steady pace; she uses her robotic arms to make adjustments to the system and tinkers with her latest weapon. Like Lucas, she gives out her orders to the engineers and tech priests.

The _Blessed Techno Woman_ says, "Send more tech priests to enhance the defenses in the south region. I need more resources gathered from the north to boost the wall structures in the fortress. All skitarii squads report to me within four hours of your ork activities. Make sure to upgrade your weapons after testing the new features on it. Leave any important instructions for all guardsmen and guardians to follow when you improve their weapon."

Lucas clears his throat; Lina instantly stops her weapons enhancements and turns to see him. The love of his life easily discards her additional robotic arms and extensions. She embraces him as they lock lips for a moment. The last few months of ork battles and skirmishes keep them busy. Every so often, the orks will attack in waves and leave a body count of thousands. Only once the fighting dies down do they both enjoy their time together. They let themselves breathe and smile to see one another. None never figured a man like Lucas would want a woman like Lina; however, wars against xenos bring people close together.

Lucas says, "I see you are keeping yourself busy and having no shortage of supplies delivered to you. You really should try not to over work yourself to improve the place or army; we have each other and more than enough to be ready for anything."

Lina gently pushes him, "I am doing well by keeping myself, the fortress, the army, and you well equipped each time you face orks. My work is my life; you are my lover. And you will do well to not have your head crushed by an ork when battling. You really should stay away from the front line and leave the personal dangers to the others to fight. You are the Lord General; you can't risk yourself like before. Let someone else be reckless. If anything happens to you, I…"

He hushes her lips with his finger; Lucas pulls her closer, "I understand the need and your words are as precious as gems; however, if I don't risk the dangers of war, how will the men follow me into battle? Plus, the new conscripts and young recruits need the inspiration. I give them that."

She smirks as she guides her hands over his chest. Before they can continue any more, the extended tentacle arm of Lina shines the small beacon beside her face. They both sigh and quickly kiss before they head to the upper level of the command center. It didn't take long for a commanding officer to locate Lucas and update him on the ork activity; Lina gets a report on what the defenses are like around the fortress. As the two walk side by side, the officer reports his findings. The journey to the main command center gives them much to look over.

She says, "Lord General Sir, our recent encounter with the orks have alert more of them. They are coming to the fortress from the highlands in the far northwest. We are able to keep them back with the battle tanks so far. The last scout reports that the enemy is moving up the field with looter tanks, transport trucks, and something about flickering lights shinning in the area."

Lina and Lucas smirk at the _"Flickering Lights"_ statement. Lucas sends the officer off to rally the troops. After they arrive at the top floor, Lina goes to work and brings up every possible angle of what the monitors reveal on the landscape. An enginseer approaches Lina and offers his insight on the new system.

He says, "I bring you interesting news, Techno Woman. The system is functioning at more than fifty percent. I would have installed the new computer program, but without proper gear to test the output…"

Lina quickly installs the program and begins to add more auxiliary power to the area that will suffer the most harm. In minutes, the system reaches a critical break point; many soldiers start to panic. Surprisingly, the system slowly powers down and everything returns to normal. The enginseer praises Lina for her work; Lucas smiles at her beautiful face and takes the helm of the command center to broadcast his message. Though the enemy is coming to them in large numbers, they stand ready knowing that old friends are about to join the battle soon. For many, it is a great day to battle orks with ease; however, it will be a blessing that allies are joining the fight.

 **Chapter 1: Section 1 – 2**

 _"We begin our journey with battle; the enemy is many, but they shall all fail. Our craft world has strengthened itself from not only numbers, but technology as well. The orks may be sending the main force at the humans, but we shall weaken their abilities to advance. I, Wraithseer Elenwe, will guide you against the foe. Join me now and let us destroy the vile beasts. Once the enemy is crippled, we shall join our allies."_

The eldar stand on the brink of extinction each day; they know that the Great Evil awaits to claim their soul; however, hope has been shown to them. The news of Ynnead, the Eldar Deity of the Dead, has renewed their faith. With the humans now ready to face the forces of chaos, the eldar would play their part to end the madness. The eldar banshees howl proudly; three companies of dark avengers rush out into the land. The war walker squadrons march out slowly providing support for the guardians. As the eldar advance slowly and quietly, Veldoran keeps his powers at ease. An eldar ranger approaches him with news of the ork activity. It didn't take long before Elenwe and Veldoran come to the same conclusion. After they meet, they both take in the same news of the orks.

Veldoran says, "I see it didn't take but only a year for the orks to produce a new war boss to guide them. At least this time, there will be no warp spells to whisper to them."

Wraithseer Elenwe adds, "They are many to us, yet something does guide them to attack the human settlements. Before we join our allies, let us seek out and destroy the ork forward bases. The more they gather in numbers, the harder it will be to eliminate them."

As the eldar set up strike camps along hidden areas, Veldoran silently moves further in to see the ork camps. His first stop brings him to a vehicle depo heavily guarded. It didn't take him long to see the first few errors the orks have made; the next setup takes him to the ork gathering and they are massive in size. Each ork is quick to apply pain on each other. The typical ork groups are ready for war; Veldoran comes to the last area of interest. He sees an interesting sight. The Ork War Boss and his chiefs are alone. Veldoran stands utterly still to hear what the group speaks of.

A war chief says, "Boss, da boyz ere ar ready fo ah waaagh. We out-numba da humies five to zero. Why iz we waitin' instead of fightin'?"

War Boss Bakk Crakka replies, "We'z waitin' fo ah reason. Any ork can charge into da enemy and die. So, stop thinkin' lik ah mud sucka git. Da humies will be ready fo uz if we'z go in. We'll send da first mob, den da second and third will go. If any ork survive, den we'z know wha to do next. If not, I gotz me bakk-up plan ready."

The next war chief adds, "My boyz ar goin' to da humie palace now. I will be in da area, but I ain't fightin' any. I be bakk soon."

The ork chiefs and war boss walk off; Veldoran sends a telepathic message to Elenwe about the ork leaders. Elenwe rallies her kin; they begin their strike against the ork areas. The first camp they target is the ork vehicle production camp. The howling banshees make short work of orks nearby. Elenwe uses her eldritch powers to destroy every vehicle and production structure. The more the orks lose, the weaker their morale becomes. Veldoran rejoins Elenwe as they lead the eldar forward and shatter the next ork camp. A few more orks return to the commotion of the eldar advances. The orks are left completely defenseless as they are sniped, cut, ambushed, and burned. After the small battle ends, a scout comes to Veldoran with news of the imperial forces. Elenwe suggests that the eldar gather near the human settlement and reinforce with their allies. Veldoran and the war host eagerly agree only after they burn away any dead orks in the land. The eldar use their sprint ability to rush to the human fortress. Many warp spiders teleport their way to the destination. Elenwe and her war party use the web way portal to arrive minutes ahead of the group.

At the imperial front lines, it didn't take Lucas or Lina long to be at the front with the others. Lina keeps her tech priests busy with repairs and sends her skitarii squads out for ork kills. Many machines in the area require her full attention as she soothes the Machine Spirit. Lucas yells for his orders to be heard among the imperial guardians and imperial guard to hold the line. They advance when needed and hold as many trenches they can; the orks continue to rush forward and die by the many. Scores upon scores of dead orks pile in front of the imperial lines. The late comers of the orks use the dead bodies to make a small wall of protection. The looter tanks roll in and fire at the wall. In the center of the war, Lucas and Lina both do what they can to keep hope alive.

Lina orders, "I need pressure relieved from the main cannons on the walls. Get some tech priests to the front line and issue repairs to the battle tanks. Any and all tech medics are to assist with injured soldiers on the field. I need more squads from the skitarii legions to provide fire support to the imperial guardsmen and guardians. Keep those orks back and hold that line."

Lucas shouts, "Get those that can't fight back! Continue to hammer the front line and hold out! As soon as the battle tanks can operate, focus fire on the center! You are soldiers of the imperium! No ork is going to take this fortress! No man or woman is giving them the chance!"

As the orks continue to try and push in, a sudden impact throws the orks everywhere. They lose their cover from the dead ork piles. Lucas, Lina, the imperial guard, and imperial guardians look up to the sky. They see a white, bright vessel emerge from stealth. It shines brightly as it sends more shots of warp energy down onto the surface of the orks. Two more warp blasts throw the orks around the landscape. As the orks try to shake off the shock, eldar warp spiders appear groundside and begin to strike at the orks. Lucas rallies his armies for the charge; Veldoran appears before him. A few imperial guardsmen aim their weapons at the xeno only to hear Lucas ordering them to stand down. Lina joins her lover to welcome their allies. As the three begin to exchange information, more eldar warriors appear on the field next the imperial army.

Lucas says, "I didn't expect you to join us in this battle. Last I recall, you already completed your time with us. What brings you here to our side now?"

Veldoran says, "The orks are many as we tried to make a safe haven on Saneesh. For every attempt at safety we set up, the orks come in force and drive us out. Since the attacks started, we have used the Faded Light to keep our numbers safe inside the web way gates aboard our vessel. For now, fate has shown us that if we are to have a place on this planet, it means helping you."

Wraithseer Elenwe joins her allies after teleporting to the surface. Her sheer size frightens the guardsmen. Not a single imperial guardian shakes. Many greet their fellow allies of the craft world as they exchange stories. Several companies and eldar dire avengers rally to the front line.

Elenwe says, "It is good to be among allies again. We can talk more after the orks all die quickly. Let us go and bring them the battle they seek to have."

As the leaders on both sides rally their allies for war, two familiar faces greet each other in the heat of the battle. Carl fires his gun at an ork rushing towards him. Though the lasrifle harms the beast, it keeps on coming at him. The ork stops in its tracks as a cloaked blade is slowly pulled from its neck. The eldar banshee has her face revealed; she turns to him and bows her head. Carl nearly jumps for joy to see her again.

Carl says, "It is good to see you have achieved a higher rank, Shelia. I didn't expect you to be still killing orks."

Shelia replies, "And I didn't expect you to survive any more ork encounters yet here we are. Join me at my side and assist me in battle."

The two rush off to find orks to slaughter. Many imperial guardsmen stand nervous and quick to fire at the xeno filth.

Lucas broadcasts his order, "All imperial forces are to not fire upon the eldar. They are here to help; I repeat, all imperial forces are to not fire upon our allies. We march with them against the orks."

Lucas and Elenwe charge into the mobs of orks coming at them. Lucas guns down and cuts through several ork nobs that challenge him. Elewne sends lightning bolts at the mobs and swings her spear around her; the warp spiders disappear and reappear behind orks as they lead them into the turret fire of the bolter machine guns. Lina and the skitarii legion advance to keep up the pressure. They join with Veldoran and his warlocks; the skitarii squads click through their vision lens and gun down any orks hiding in the bushes and trees. Warlocks of the craft world launch flame spheres and lightning bolts at mobs. It didn't take the orks long to realize that every advancement made by the two allied armies weakens them. Though the orks are many and outnumber them, the strength of the imperial army and eldar halts them. Even with the green muscle shaking the ground, the guile of the alliance leaves the enemy confused.

Once the orks are pushed back, the imperial army returns to the fortress to recover. The eldar join them and set up a small camp just outside of the walls. Many imperial guardians stay around their xeno allies and spark up conversations. The raw recruits of the imperial guard understand that the eldar were allies, but not like this. They stand back and watch; the eldar of Alaitoc and imperial guardians talk as if no danger is near. The howling banshee and warrior like guardians share techniques and fighting styles. The dire avengers and riflemen compare weapon upgrades. The imperial guardsmen huddle up and speak of the wild commotion they are surrounded by. Though the two groups speak together, the leaders of the alliance share the center hub. The Blessed Techno Woman stands by the side of her Lord General. The Wraithseer sides with her warlock ally. The few captains stand with them as they each reveal what information they know about the present ork threat.

One howling banshee captain says, "My warriors have cut down several advancing groups just south of this area. They managed they inflict a few marks on us, but it will not stop us from the next battles."

A guardian captain adds, "Funny you say that. We just came from the south region with a few orks chasing us. It is no wonder they came after us. They found enemies to fight."

A dire avenger points out, "The orks are less willing to invade from the north since our early skirmishes kept them at bay."

Before any more is spoken, Lord General Lucas says, "The reports you provide us with will determine our next course of battle. For now, leave everything with us. You are dismissed."

Veldoran signals for the eldar to retire. Once the room is cleared, the four friends take a moment to discuss the real threat that may be coming.

Wraithseer Elenwe says, "The vision of the future is more clear. It is ever changing and several futures are presented to me. For now, all I see are the orks becoming a problem for us each day on the planet. The new war boss is brutal yet lacks any real tactics for us to not predict."

Lina agrees and replies, "The last few reports hardly have any ork activity to the north. I do feel cautious and glad for it. Every day, the skitarii legions are coming back with no kind of activity. The reports are less than ever recently. At first, the orks tried to use a large mob to advance on our fortress from the north long ago. Now that you are here, the raids have come to a complete halt. They seem only serious today to attack us from the western landscape."

Lucas rubs his chin and studies the northern landscape map. It did bring him a suspicious feeling that couldn't be put off. He takes a sip of his water to cool his tongue.

He places his cup down and says, "It is time that we all decided to see what goes on in the northern area. No more than one hundred thousand men and women will do. Less than half of that from the eldar can accompany us. I want your expertise on the field, Elenwe. Let us leave our counter parts here."

Veldoran protests, "To deny me a chance for battle against the green horde is unacceptable. I will only need a mere five thousand to deal the death blow. You may bring the entire companies under your command if you feel uneasy."

Wraithseer and Lina laugh at the bickering the two cause; Lina calls to them both.

Lina suggests, "Instead of you two trying to boast about numbers, Elenwe and I will go investigate the north. That way, should the enemy come here, you two can compare body counts against each other."

Lucas laughs proudly at the request and agrees let them go at it alone. As the four agree on many things and compare notes, they nearly forget about their two missing friends.

Veldoran says, "It has been a while since our commander has not been present around you, do you know where Kayleth is at?"

Lina shrugs her shoulders and replies, "I tried to keep in touch with Max by via com channel. He has not replied back once. Has he come to you for further understanding?"

Elenwe also adds, "My powers of locating my kin are weak. It is as if she has completely disappeared."

Lucas laughs happily and draws their attention to his words, "Let's just say that those two need more than just time. They will join us like before. And by the time they do, we will be wondering the same thing."

Veldoran and Elenwe didn't understand the words of the Lord General. Lina looks at her lover with curiosity; he shoots her a wink. Before she tries to speak any words, Lucas hurries her out the door to prepare for battle. With Veldoran and Lucas keeping their army alert, Elenwe and Lina move to the north to perform their investigation.

 **Chapter 1: Section 1 – 3**

The clanking sound rings in the air. A rush of adrenaline pumps into the body. Swords shine brightly as the sun looks upon the pure craftsmanship. A standard sword with a curved edge crashes against a light blue blade. The light blue blade hums with a low sound; the hands swing the weapons with ease. The holder of the light blue weapon takes a leap backwards. The armor displays the mark of the Eldar War Deity Khaine as Kayleth of Alaitoc readies herself; she takes the aggressive stance and grips her weapon tightly. Deep from within her soul, a rage builds and begins to cover her. Her armor shines bright red-orange as the flame of Khaine erupts from within. She lifts her voice high into the air and shrieks proudly. The wrath of Khaine covers her in a similar manner. Her hands begin to drip blood to the soil. The eldritch warp fires surround her and peel away the ground. Kayleth looks to towards her target. Her irises are small flames inside her eyes. Kayleth now stands ready as her power from the eldar War God burns strongly. She leaps at her foe and drives him back. Only a few strikes manage to keep her opponent on the defense. After a score of strikes and slashes, her final attempt brings her worry; the next attempt shows weakness.

It didn't take much to leap away from the cold, void feeling that begins to surround the area. It comes too sudden and gives Kayleth a sense of fear and hatred. She wants to retreat from this danger; however, the eldar autarch stands firm in the face of this coming void. He stands on a wounded leg and bravely approaches his opponent. Though the eldar warrior left him hurt, Max Johnson of the Saneesh takes the hawk stance; he lets his voice shatter the area as the unnatural blank abilities stretch over the area. The powers of the warp cannot sense him; it is unable to find him. No daemon, no psyker, nor deity of the warp can stand a being that is soulless. He advances on his foe; she jumps high away from his reach. Kayleth feels her warp power drain away quickly than ever. She throws her sword at him; Max doesn't move as the sword falls to his feet. The warp powered sword is completely drained of its power. As he looks up, Kayleth crushes her fist into his jaw. The warp boosts her strikes; she feels it slip away. Max nullifies her warp abilities and uses his unmatched speed to surprise her. Kayleth tries to guard against his rush. The effort is meaningless. Instead of a hard hit or sweep under her feet, Max moves in close to her. The heart rate goes up with every passing second. He locks his eyes with her eyes; Max looks into the emerald eyes of the eldar warrior as she losses her eldritch power. Before he can try anything against Kayleth, she crushes her fist one last time against his jaw. The attack is enough to cause him to stagger.

Max pulls back and rubs his face. He says, "Yeesh! You're always going to be feisty and vicious before you allow a moment for us to share?"

Kayleth breathes easy and replies, "Are you always so easily distracted by my looks than battle? I have told you once before about that Max."

He takes notice of her stance; Kayleth stands nervous and ready even as he waits. Max jumps in her direction only to see her jerk slightly back. He laughs greatly until she crashes her fist into his side. Before she can pull back, he holds on tightly to her arm. She tries to let her warp power enhance her skills, but it fails against Max's blank abilities. He uses all his powers to completely cover the area in a sheet of anti-warp.

She frustrating groans, "Must you be so difficult for me to train with? You promised me that you would be more focused than do this."

He pulls her close leaving very little space between them, "And how many more times are you not going to allow that emotion to show?"

Kayleth turns her sight away; Max sighs heavily and lets her go.

Max continues, "You know that you want love me for who I am and not just for what I can do for your craft world. We have been away from everyone for only a few hours each three weeks. Now, this is the fifth time you are here alone with me. And it has been well over five hours. All we do is train and improve on our fighting form. Yes, you have taught me a lot about your ways and showed me clever techniques. I have shown you what to expect of most humans that are blanks. Yet, with all our time spent together, not once do you want to talk about the issue you have with me. Is it the fear talking again? Do you not want to love me? Or is it that you are not ready to show me the other part of you?"

Kayleth is silent for a moment. She looks into his eyes and answers, "I am a warrior first before I can love."

She turns completely away only to feel Max hold her from behind. She gasps softly wanting to pull away. Her warp power shoots out from her thanks to Max. As they share the moment, she feels herself growing weak and wanting. Kayleth uses her warp powers to click on the radio com; the imperial officers call to him.

 _"Sir, are you reading us? We can use your assistance here at the fortress. Lucas and Lina are accompanied by the eldar forces at the front line. Please, report to the front line as soon as you can, sir."_

Max tightly embraces Kayleth once more. She feels and hears her heart rate jump for excitement. The experience is unknown to her. In her mind, she sees it as a sign of weakness. Kayleth did feel happy at the moment; however, she never wanted him to see it. Max turns her around and gets close. He stops only a few inches away as he hears her sword ready to be taken out.

Max says, "There will be a time for us. For now, I won't say anything else or do anything else to offend you Kayleth. You have my word."

As he pulls back, Kayleth receives a telepathic communication from her warlock. Max lets his own power quiet down.

 _"Kayleth, our forces are here with the humans. We require your assistance."_

Max walks off. Kayleth watches him and still feels that warm feeling around her. She looks at her hands and questions the feeling.

He shouts, "Hey! You can think on other things later, we must go to see what business the orks have for us now!"

Though they are on one of the islands in the eastern sea, their journey back to the fortress would not be long. Max climbs aboard his shuttle; Kayleth uses her warp powers to open a portal and transports herself to a nearby area. Kayleth steps through the other side of the portal. She looks around to see the alliance face down the orks. It didn't take long for the enemy to stand before them in large numbers. Kayleth heads to find Veldoran and Elenwe standing by; they look to her with eagerness and find her conflicted.

Veldoran says, "The orks are not so much of a problem when in force; however, something else has your mind troubled. What is it?"

Elenwe agrees, "He is right. What has happened to you?"

Before Kayleth can reply, the orks roar loudly and alert everyone to look in their direction. Kayleth goes to the front; Lucas and Lina greet her and everyone looks to see the massive ork come to the front. Stains of blood cover his armor and clothes; a set of skulls are hanging from his pole. There is skull of a few humans, an ork, a space marine, and an ogryn head. The ork slams his mighty axes together as he calls more of his boys forward; the alliance looks on as more ork come forward from the mountain top. Ork War Boss Bakk Crakka and his horde seem too strong to face. Many imperial guardsmen quake in their boots as Lucas and Lina keep them focused. The war boss roars one last time as he rallies his mobs.

Bakk Crakka says, "Da humies iz weak! Da Imperium iz weak! Da orks will rip em to shreds! Go an' tak da heads, but leav' me da humie bosses!"

The ground shakes as the mobs of orks stomp the ground. A mighty war cry shakes the sky as everyone is ready to face the enemy. Every lasrifle is aiming at the open landscape. A tide of green muscle comes running towards them; everyone looks on as the ork leader cries for blood to be spilled. Before the enemy tide reaches the front line, the orks look to the sky and see a ball of fire coming at them. The mighty horde stops; every human and eldar looks on with curiosity as to why. An ork points to the sky. They all look up to see an imperial shuttle coming flying at the orks; it is covered in flames and burning. The door opens on the side and a single person drops out from the shuttle into the inside of the fortress just before the gate. The shuttle explodes once more before reaching the orks. It crashes into the center of the mobs; the shuttle erupts and throws the orks in several directions. With the massive explosion throwing the orks into confusion, the doors at the fortress open from behind everyone. He comes rushing out from the walls; he lets his pride carry him forward. A small path is cleared for him. Lucas, Elenwe, Veldoran, Lina, and Kayleth are glad to see him. Once he gets closer to the front, he shouts to those around him and on radio chatter.

Max cries, "Can you follow me into paradise again?!"

The tip of the alliance forms into a spear head. Max leads the charge with Kayleth following close behind. Lucas and Elenwe bring up support as they issue orders for every team and squad. Lina and Veldoran coordinate with several special groups as they utilize their impressive skills. The orks respond in great favor as the spear head of eldar and human collide into them. Max leads the charge and quickly surprises the orks with impressive sword strikes; Kayleth and her howling banshees slay several orks as the eldar move with amazing grace. As more orks try to rush on the enemy, the eldar disappear from sight only for the imperial guardians to fire lasrifles into the lines of orks. Veldoran comes to the front by warp portal and joins Kayleth. The eldar warlocks burn the field in front of them with warp powers. Battle tanks fire massive shells into the ork lines and destroy the looter tanks. In the center of the battle, six voices issue orders and coordinate with sheer confidence.

Max says, "Keep up the suppressive fire! Do not let the orks get no more ground! I need more reinforcements up here on the double to cover our flanks! The eldar will disappear soon, so switch to your swords! All medics pull the wounded back! Be ready to move the battle tanks up!"

Kayleth shouts, "Eldar, prepare to disappear! The imperial guardians will cover our escape! I need howling banshees to stand with the imperial guardians! I need more warlocks to reinforce our flanks and provide barriers for our forces! Do not give into the enemy! Orks are nothing, but target practice for the warriors of craft world Alaitoc!"

Further towards the trenches, Lucas says, "I need more reinforcements to the front. Find the wounded a place just inside the wall of the fortress. I will take two to five more companies with me to the front line. See to it that the flanking squads are ready to surprise the orks. Hurry to the front line! Max and Kayleth will need our support when the chief engages them!"

Veldoran adds, "All warlocks are to enhance nearby eldar guardians against the foe. We will send the warp spiders ahead to cripple more of the ork vehicle facilities. See to that the imperial guards are heavily reinforced by our War Walkers nearby. Move the Night Spinners up with the imperial tanks."

Lina looks over the data from the field and replies, "Be ready to fire our artillery cannons once the enemy is close enough. I need more skitarii squads to be ready to flank the enemy with the howling banshees once they retreat. The next set of orgyns is to rush up and provide more support for the new recruits and conscripts of the imperial guard. The enemy is strong in numbers; however, they need to remember why they keep losing to us."

Wraithseer Elenwe leads her kin forward and roars, "I will guide you all into battle! Do not let the numbers frighten you for the green tide will suffer more!"

As the alliance of the imperium and eldar of Alaitoc effectively cooperate, the orks suffer tremendously as every tactic keeps the orks uneven. The orks war boss takes his leave to escape from the enemy. With his few mobs following closely behind him, the last few mobs go on a rampage as much as they can; the rampage does not help. With the last ork falling dead, the alliance gladly cheers. Lina and Veldoran thank each other. They are joined by Lucas and Elenwe as they report their own success; Kayleth and Max are still ahead in the front battling fleeing orks. The victory goes in their favor. Wave serpents and imperial transports haul in the weak, wounded, and critically hurt. The medics and eldar healers attend to the needs of those hurt. Among them, Carl is found by Shelia as she overly scorns him for lack of safety.

She says, "I thought you I made it clear you are to be safer than reckless? Did my words not pass through your head, or did they fall on death ears?"

Carl answers, "Max went out to brave the ork tides and your autarch followed him closely. Must I do less than what I see them do in battle?"

As the two continue to chat, a few allies of the imperial guard pass by and question Carl for his trust in the eldar.

He replies, "The eldar have been through dangerous fights with us long before many of you joined this regiment; they helped us and we helped them. We each have our own objectives and right now, we are caught up in war. When it is time, they shall help us. Return to your duties and do not look for ways to fail them."

Before any more chat continues, commanding officers of the imperial guardians urge the raw recruits of the imperial guard to attend to their routine. As the reports are added up by the imperial records, Lina and Lucas celebrate their victory. Even Veldoran and Elenwe greatly marvel at how well the alliance has overcome the orks. Lina tries to contact Max; however, Lucas interrupts her transaction.

He says, "If you even try to reach him, the same thing will happen again. He won't answer thanks to his abilities. Plus, I am sure the same thing can be said of Kayleth."

Veldoran asks, "How do you know if you are not a psyker?"

Elenwe answers, "I can't locate our commander. It is as if her spirit is being covered."

Everyone looks at Lucas. He smiles and assures them all is ok; the last ork is slain as it falls to the ground with two swords jammed in its neck. Max claims the kill; Kayleth calls the demise of the ork hers. They argue back and forth as more ork stragglers rush upon them.

Max says, "That ork was dead before you even got your sword in it. How can you say it is your kill when it was clearly my kill?"

Kayleth slays three orks, "Your delusions are greater than your ego. If not your delusions, then your imagination is as large as ever."

Max disappears and quickly eliminates five orks. The duo continues to slay the orks they find until a large mob of nobs surrounds them; they look around to see no way out. As the nobs move in, Kayleth and Max smile greatly to at the enemy. Who will eliminate the most? Before they can leap at the nobs, bolter fire comes from several directions. The oks all fall over as a new foe approaches them. Max is greatly amused; however, Kayleth stays on guard. They walk forward proudly and silently. So much time has passed since their last skirmish during Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade. Though unsuccessful in their battle to reclaim their home world Scelus, the terrible space marine chapter still bears hate for what they stand for. They care not for the hate of the other daemons and followers of Nurgle, Khorne, Slaanesh, and Tzeentch; all that matters is they have their world to claim for themselves. The colors of black and white still cover their armor. They spat in the faces of their former allies; they stand alone against both the imperium and the forces of chaos. As Max asks who they are, he sees Kayleth ready to unleash her fury upon them.

A space marine steps forward and says, _"_ _ **We shall deny the flesh Nurgle needs to fester. We will lay claim to the skulls and blood Khorne wants. We keep the pleasure and pain from Slaanesh. We will not let Tzeentch change our fate and destiny. We are the Sons of Malice, the True Dark God of Chaos. Every follower of the False Dark Gods and Corpse Emperor of Mankind shall die by our hands."**_

 **Chapter 1: Section 1 – 4**

Max and Kayleth back up as the group of dark space marines prepare to fire. Before a bolter gun goes off, a set of orks and ork nobs come from the side and attack. Max and Kayleth use the orks to escape from the enemy; the orks engage the space marines. As strong as they are, the Sons of Malice slaughter the rampaging orks with great ease. An ork head is lopped off. A wave of orks is gunned down. Frag grenades are thrown into the mobs and obliterate the enemy. The Sons of Malice strike deep into the enemy. Once the fighting is done, the space marines look around. The human and eldar witch has run off; one ork tries to resist being held down. The space marines overpower the creature.

One space marine says, "Are we to inform our captain of the trouble on this planet?"

The approaching officer unsheathes her sword of terrible ruin. The head of the ork is lopped off; the other space marines bow their head and knell before her.

She says, "No need to inform our captain yet. We know who is on this planet. For now, we have orks, humans, and eldar to kill. Once we have taken more recruits, destroyed their camp, and bring more victims back, then we will inform our captain. For now, let us wait. We have an ork to find and kill. Which way did the war boss go to?"

The Sons of Malice stand and march off into the distant land. No force would stand against them. Be they daughters of the imperium, sons of xenos, or the fallen dregs of chaos, all will hear the coming threat known as the Sons of Malice. Elsewhere, Kayleth and Max rest up after retreating far from the area; Max feels out of breath and tired from running. Kayleth looks at him with some worry and pays it no mind. He looks to her only for Kayleth to hide her concern.

He says, "I know I look great to you, but must you stare at me in such a manner?"

Kayleth replies quickly, "I am not looking at you in such a way Max. If anything, I am worried about who the Sons of Malice are."

Max springs up; he moves towards her and adds, "Oh, so you do care about me, but you never show me it unless I do this."

She sighs frustratingly and backs away. Max takes his water pouch from his side.

Kayleth asks, "What kind of space marines serve a God called Malice? It is not a name I know of."

Max gulps down some water from his pouch and says, "I can't tell you anything about them. They are a mystery to me as well. And this bunch is certainly no ally to chaos and will destroy them as well too. We had better get ourselves back to the fortress. Once we get a few teams with us, then we will investigate this radical space marine known as the Sons of Malice."

They continue their journey back home; Max takes time to admire the beauty of Kayleth. He gazes at her so much that he trips over a stone. Kayleth looks at him with confusion and hides her laughter with disappointment. A few more orks are encountered on the way as they eliminate them; the pair comes in sight of the fortress. The imperial fortress shines ever so bright. Max falls over exhausted from his walk. Kayleth urges him to stand and continue.

Max says, "I am not able to endure as much as you can. Unless you are willing to apply pressure somewhere, then…"

Kayleth nearly draws her sword at him, "If this is some wild attempt seduce me, please stop. We have no time for such things to distract us."

He rushes upon her with a serious look in his eyes; Kayleth backs away.

Max says, "Alright, I will stop all the joking. Instead, I want us to have a talk before we get back to our allies. The one that makes you feel so uncomfortable."

She releases her hold on her weapon while keeping her distance. Kayleth replies, "There is nothing to speak of Max. You only seek to anger me and draw me out into one of your little ruses to learn of pointless…"

As he walks pass her, Kayleth blocks his path. She understand what he is doing, but why does Max keep trying to get an answer from her.

Max says, "Like always, you don't wanna talk about the relationship we can have. You are too afraid of trying to know me or allowing me to be the one person for you. At one time, you did allow me to show you something you weren't ready to know before things got to where they are. For such a warrior of great power and possessed by the fury of her War God, you are weaker than…"

Kayleth slowly lets the fury burn from within her armor. The burning flame of Khaine comes out slowly. As Max stops talking, he agrees to not speak of it for now. He walks away with his head held up high which only irritates her. As the two continue to walk to the fortress, the irritation caused by Max forces her to stop him once more; Max looks into her rage filled eyes. He can't help but see how beautiful she is.

Kayleth questions, "Why do you care so much to irritate me? Why do you continue to persist when there is nothing I desire of you? What is the point of you trying to have me if I won't allow it?"

Max sighs and presses his hand against her face; Kayleth nearly feels her soul jump from her body as he says, "As I once told you before Kayleth of Alaitoc, I have found you. And if you don't know what I mean by that now, then you are still learning. For now, let's get back to the fortress."

As Max tries to move towards her, the warmth from her warp powers nearly comes out. Max tries to not over step and reminds her that he will wait. As they continue to head back, the current events of battle leave them wondering. Once they arrive at the fortress, the imperial guardians and eldar welcome their champion and hero. It didn't take them long to be brought before the others. Lina is checking the systems with Lucas. Elenwe and Veldoran are meditating. After the usual greetings are over, the final reports from them surprise their allies.

Lucas says, "You must be mistaken. There is a corrupt space marine chapter in this part of the galaxy? A renegade space marine bunch claiming to be Sons of Malice is here? What brings them way out to this part of the galaxy?"

Kayleth answers, "That is the disturbing part of them. They are not in league with any other forces of chaos yet will gladly kill them as they would us. Something has brought them here to this world."

Veldoran adds, "There is nothing out on this planet that is worth taking or searching for that we have not found. And this Malice sounds like a fairy tale they are spinning."

Lina and Elenwe call to everyone of what they discover.

Lina reports: "There is some kind of activity going on in the land that my skitarii squads are reporting. Something about heavy armor teams attacking the orks."

Elenwe agrees, "There is an unusual amount of warp energy circling the area. It is somehow purer than before."

Everyone agrees and starts to set the army in motion; Lucas and Max head to rally the imperial guardians and imperial guard. Kayleth gathers up her howling banshees and Veldoran informs his warlocks by telepathic message and Lina sets the War Harbinger ship for flight mode with its systems online. The bone singers under Elenwe construct the Faded Light vessel once more. Once everything is ready, the alliance journeys out into the northwestern zone to seek out the trouble. They travel twenty miles out by land before establish a base of operations. Lina reports that the War Harbinger will not be ready for combat just yet. The Faded Light is easily finished and flies to the current location. Once bases are established, the four combatant commanders take the council once more. As before, Kayleth and Max argue over which approach is better.

Max says, "Scout and recon. Once we know what we are facing, then these space marines of Malice can die just as any other opponent."

Kayleth disagrees, "That is common tactics they will suspect. Better to annihilate them with three strong companies in every direction."

He sighs and replies, "I hope you have learned something than just trying to bully your way into the enemy lines. Do you only want to stand out more than before?"

She harshly answers, "And can you learn more methods than stare at me battling only to save you from dying?"

Lucas and Veldoran laugh at the pair. They both look around to see a few other officers stare and snicker under their breath.

Kayleth excuses herself from the room. Max triers to follow her, but Veldoran urges, "It is better that she be alone and from you since you did make her blush."

Max replies, "And how did I make her blush when she holds it in?"

Veldoran laughs slightly and goes to find Kayleth; Max turns to Lucas.

Lucas shakes his head in disappointment, "You honestly convinced me how much you want her to love you. Despite your many ways of distracting her, your method is too much for her. You should back off and give her space."

Max argues, "How can I show her anything when she gives me a cold shoulder? She is…"

"An over caring, hard-headed fool," roared Kayleth. She continues, "Every time, I see him urging me to commit myself to him. Why must he continue to behave inappropriately with me?"

Veldoran tries to not laugh and jokingly says, "Well, he did burn that moment into your mind before he disappeared for nearly a year against the daemon of Slaanesh. Maybe you should try to offer him something. Or, did Max do more to you?"

Kayleth lets her flame of Khaine burn brightly as the words of Veldoran; he soothes her over with words of battle. Once he takes his leave, Kayleth tries to focus on her skill. Every attempt at trying a new technique, he focus is thrown off by the face of Max. Each method of war is replaced by Max. Finally, she roars loudly and lets the spirit of Khaine erupt from within her body. The flame covers her body as she burns away the ground around her. Kayleth lets the flame shoot upward into the sky as every thought of rage pours out. She lets her rage be calm and recalls words that bring her peace. Kayleth looks behind her back to see Max approaching her. Before she can yell at him, the warp energy from her body rises back up. Her rage filled expression never leaves her face. Whatever his reason for coming to her, Max stands far from her and keeps a large amount of space.

She demands, "Why are you doing this now? What else do you want to know of? I can't allow myself to feel anything for you. We are two different people and you know it. Your kind would destroy any eldar craft world so long as they prevail. I do not want this to be my fate, Max. I am not going to allow that to happen again; I allowed myself to be weak. I can never be yours. Even after you have told me and showed me, we can never be."

Max looks at Kayleth confused and replies, "I just want you to be safe out there. And when you are ready to talk, we will talk about it. For now, you have my word that I will only support you. Now, we got orks coming at us."

Kayleth didn't reply and turns away from Max. He leaves her alone with her thoughts. Instead of rage, she feels at peace yet remains conflicted. With the enemy now massing near the front of the base, the alliance stands ready. Max and Lucas look forward to the coming enemy; Kayleth and Veldoran anticipate the shaking ground. As everyone waits and holds for the charging enemy, they get an interesting challenge. A few orks come running at them only to be gunned down. The alliance stands unsure as to who has gunned down the orks. A single space marine walks forward silent as the grave. He looks to see the eldar and humans stand ready to accept his help. Max orders everyone to be ready and that the single space marine is not ally to them. Kayleth orders her howling banshees back as she leaps into combat; her shriek shatters the silence around her. As Kayleth engages her foe, the space marine remains silent and dodges her sword slashes.

Lucas joins her in her attack; the space marine shows no signs weakness or fatigue in his skill. The warrior easily shoves Lucas backwards and dodges the death strike from Kayleth. The chain buzz sword still hangs at the side of the space marine. Not once has he pulled it out to block any attack from either opponent. Lucas and Kayleth try a double strike on the enemy. He surprises both fighters by tripping them both. The swiftness of the space marine startles them; he moves with grace and easily keeps the two at bay. Veldoran fires a warp sphere of fire at him. The space marine easily leans to the side and pops his neck. Veldoran joins his allies at his side. Max looks at everyone to see the fear slowly coming over them. He joins his allies by their side. As the four circle around the space marine, the expected happens. The chains buzz sword comes out and spins the blade. Max looks to Veldoran; Lucas glances at Kayleth. They all guide their eyes around the area. The space marine stands ready for them all. Lucas charges at the enemy. Max runs behind the foe. Before Max can do anything, a small blade flies at him. Max falls to the ground to dodge the small blade.

Kayleth leaps at the target only to see Lucas thrown at her. Veldoran rushes at the space marine and gets back-handed across the face. Max tries to rush upon the enemy again. The space marine turns and faces him; Max thrusts at the marine. The sword shatters against the armor. With a strong grip, the marine picks up Max by his throat. Everyone looks to see Max struggling to stay alive. The army rushes forward to aid their leaders. All four able body commanders regain their focus on the enemy. Max looks into the dark eye shells of the armor covering the space marine. As he clinches the arm of the space marine, the overwhelming powers of Max slowly rise to the surface. The cold feeling comes as a shock to the space marine. Instead of holding in his silence, the space marine leaps back and takes the aggressive stance. Lucas, Kayleth, Veldoran, and all eyes fall upon the two. The space marine growls low at Max. With so much riding on the line, no one knows what to do next.

Max charges at the enemy and fires his gun. The lasrifle rounds didn't make a dent in the armor. As the space marine engages Max, Lucas tosses him a second sword. Once the weapon is in his hand, Max engages the space marine of Malice in combat. Though stronger and faster than him, Max keeps up his strikes and drives back the enemy. No one in a million years ever expect an average human to put a space marine on the defensive. As Max keeps up his attacks, the unnatural blank abilities expand over the area more. The space marine jumps further back from Max. No one didn't believe their own eyes at what they see; the space marine removes his helmet. Though mostly human, the scars of Malice show how dedicated the space marine is.

He says, "You will be what we need to bring our God forth into this reality. Live for now and be ready for the sacrifice for Malice."

The space marine covers his head. His message sent a few waves of doubt to the eldar who heard him; however, Max didn't care about the message as he tries to attack him. Before he can fight, orks come rushing at the alliance. Max and the others fall back to their allies. Once they orks are close enough, they engage the green skin xenos and easily repel them. After the fighting dies down, the alliance uses this time to recover and try to understand what happen. The message the space marine gave Max leaves him with more questions than before.

 **Chapter 1: Section 1 – 5**

The ork war boss Bakk Crakka keeps his boys mad and ready; they suffer tremendous causalities at the hands of the enemy. Though the ork war boss has fought and killed space marines before, none have ever given Bakk Crakka a reason to take more caution than before. Nearly all his war camps have been destroyed. Most of his war chiefs are burning up. Many orks have been killed by bolter fire and melta guns. As the remaining orks run to go and find more reinforcements, the last loyal bunch of the war boss stays aware. They listen and hear footsteps around the area. Before one ork can call out to his others, the sons of Malice rush on the ork and strike at them. Bakk Crakka rallies his horde as they try to take down the sword and axe wielding space marines. As the mob of orks rush with their war boss to the few space marines, a surprise comes to them. From behind their backs, a large number of humans run silently at the enemy. They speak no words for the thrill of battle. A mark of the chaos renegade God covers their armor. The silent army is of twisted recruits and broken conscripts. Only a few true space marines of Malice stand silently by and watch as the young fighters charge into the orks.

War boss Bakk Crakka laughs and roars, "Look at dis now. Da humies brought dem ah army fo us to slaughta. Waaagh!"

The ork horde cries, "WAAAAAAGH!"

As the orks rush into the silent army of Malice, the carnage begins. The swing of the chainsaw sword cuts open the ork skin; a bash to the head of a human cripples one. For every five to ten orks engaging a single recruit, the person takes them down with an explosive. The orks cheer for the madness and death around them. Though the orks roar loudly, they lose more than the silent army does. It didn't take the orks long to think of retreating as the numbers go down. Once the numbers of orks fall to a handful of mobs with their war chiefs, the silent army corners them. The same silent officer approaches. She looks down at the sad, pitiful creatures. No way for them to escape. No other sign of reinforcements. All she does is whispers under her breath a single word: _Prey_.

The orks try to fight back against the enemy. All die leaving only one war chief alive to be taken down. Before having the head lopped off, the silent officer halts the orders. The silent army knells all around as the ork chief is held down. It looks up and roars at the officer. She removes her helmet and looks down at the beast with eyes as black as dark space.

She says, "You will live to send a message to your war boss. Let him know that he will be a fine meal and sacrifice for our God."

The soldiers let the ork go. It runs in the last known direction of ork territory. The true prize manages to get away from them. The silent army leaves back to its camp. As she walks with her head held high, a message comes from one of the slaves by her side.

The slave says, "Your scout has returned. He reports that the eldar and human alliance is not easily broken by a single space marine."

The officer hushes the slave with a gesture of her hand. She places her helmet back on and chuckles. Her laughter alerts the others around her. They all look to her; she looks to them. It didn't take much for the others to understand what is to come soon. At the imperial base of operations, several ork bands step up their attack. Though the war boss is not found, the three war chiefs keep their clan organize. The ork kills pile on in front of the base. Before any ork bodies make a pile for cover, each stack is burned by warp fires and melta bombs. Max keeps up his assault with his personal guard with him. Though Kayleth is only but a few feet away from him, she finds herself watching out for his safety. An ork nearly cuts her eyes out if Veldoran did not interfere and burn the green skin xeno to ash.

He says, "We are in the midst of battle. Why does your mind drift elsewhere?"

Kayleth adjusts her mind and returns to battle; Veldoran looks off in the direction of Max. He sees him fighting and more aggressive than before; Lucas joins the warlock and sighs to see such division between their two friends.

He says, "You have noticed it too by now. Kayleth and Max are less around each other due to his constant affection to her. What do you think, Veldoran?"

Veldoran replies, "I do not need to know of where her mind is at. I only require her focus and determination for our people; this issue between Max and her must be mend before the worse falls on either of them in battle. If anything, Max knows that she cannot love him."

Lucas adds, "Yet, she has shown much concern for him in the past. Tell me something, warlock. Do all eldar women behave as their female commanders do?"

He answers, "I know only as much as the next of my kin does. Some things are best left alone for others to experience. For now, we return to battle. They will need our help."

As the orks retreat from the alliance, a victory cry is heard. Max slays his last ork and returns with his group to be informed of their progress. Kayleth watches from afar as he spends his time focusing on the current affairs.

Lucas walks up beside her, "Love can be a scary emotion. In eldar, it must be a dangerous thing for one such as you."

Kayleth says, "It is nothing new. He knew the risks of trying to be with me. If you have anything to inform me of, speak plainly."

He laughs and answers, "Well, we have our alliance in good shape. Both of our kind is getting along. The only thing missing is proper motivation from some people. Let's head back to the base and set up our next strategy."

Max dismisses his personal guard and allows himself a moment of peace. He sits on a rock just away from his allies. The eldar rangers and scouts of the imperium talk about their latest kills. They go on about how well they fight together. Veldoran appears just beside Max.

He asks, "What is your desire for Autarch Kayleth?"

Max scoffs and says, "Oh, for the love of all that is holy, don't tell me Lucas put you up to this? Or is she having another one of her moments where she is conflicted and can't speak?"

Veldoran tilts his head and replies, "I barely know of where her mind is at? I only ask her for what she is willing to share. So, I ask you again: What is your desire for her? Why do you purse her so vigorously if she has warned you of being attached to her?"

Max sighs, "She is the most beautiful woman of the eldar that I have ever seen. Kayleth is strong, bold, and able than most commanders; she will gladly do what is right for her kind and sacrifice herself to save you all if it means keeping you safe. I understand a little as to why she still does not want me to love her. She denies it; she hates it. The idea of me loving her is a frightening experience; I purse her because she is worth it. She will make an able queen among her kind. I can't expect her to understand it now, but I want her to know this much. I love her for who she is. I like her for the rough side of her personality despite how much she uses it to hide her soft side. Though she is a difficult woman and can be misleading, I know in her heart that she wants it. Let's get back to base. I have spoken enough for you to know."

Veldoran accepts the statement and adds, "I won't speak of this to her. When the time comes, you will tell her. Pray she doesn't try to kill you at the time."

As Max orders the troops back, the eldar scouts sprint to their kin. It didn't take long for the alliance to return back to the base. Once there, the two factions celebrate in their own way. The eldar keep their selves at peace and stand alert. A few scouts stand next to imperial scouts as they head out as a team to look for any sign of ork parties advancing. The imperial guardian officers talk to the imperial guardsmen about the great victories that lie ahead. Though most of the faction stands apart from each other, Carl and Shelia share a few moments of conversation among themselves. It draws the eyes and ears of others. Though only friends on and off the battle, the two maintain a truce that each feels must be shown.

Lucas and Lina issue out the final orders for everywhere as they enjoy their night alone. Max returns to the command console and looks over the reports from each division. Veldoran returns to his warlocks and mediates on the affairs of today with his warp power forming a shield around himself; the other warlocks train their mind and body to further enhance their skills. Kayleth retreats to her private sanctum and relaxes her mind; her thoughts think of battle. She becomes easily distracted by the face of Max; Kayleth tightens her fists and tries to focus on her warp power. It hums with a low sound only to slowly fade away. She tries desperately to keep her mind on the enemy. Every thought curves to one single person. She opens her eyes and finds herself annoyed with the distraction; Kayleth takes a blade in hand and tries to strike a few times. Each swing is slightly off and she stops. She thinks of Max yet again. After she sprints off from the eldar camp and comes to a center field, she roars loudly as her warp flame of the War God Khaine erupts. The flames burn the field around her to ash and leave the ground scorched. Veldoran and the eldar look to the south-west of the land to see her warp energy shine brightly. A few guardsmen take note of this and report it to Max.

He replies, "It is nothing. Stay vigilant and send no soldiers out to the area. If the matter becomes worse, I will go."

After the soldier leaves, Veldoran appears before Max, "You may need to sooth her rage to keep her less than distracted by you."

Max sarcastically laughs, "So, now she needs comfort from the one she rather kill herself more than anyone? Yeah, why don't I just go ahead and give her a nice set of flowers."

Veldoran points out, "It is not for her sake that I ask you. It is for yours; she isn't showing too many signs that she wishes to talk to others."

Before any more word comes forth, a second scout reports to Max about the increase of heat. He looks back to see the warlock gone. With all reports reading positive, Max shrugs his shoulders heads outside of the base. At the edge of the camp, Max sees the guardians and imperial guardsmen worry with great concern; he assures them all that everything will be alright. To his surprise, Wraithseer Elenwe stands ready to use her warp power to shield the camp. She looks to Max as he walks ahead of her. Elenwe lets her doubts fade away and keeps the camp relaxed; Lucas and Lina join the front line with Veldoran coming up.

Lucas says, "So, what do you all believe will happen?"

Elenwe replies, "I believe we have our answer to that. It happened before."

Lina adds, "Yeah, it is pretty much an obvious thing she does by now. I always thought it was only what eldar females do, but clearly I was wrong."

Veldoran interrupts, "It can go that way, but this is something else. For now, let's set the camp in order and wait."

Every footstep he takes, it draws him closer to the center. Each tree and bush he walks by shows that the flames have reduce them to ash. There is no way for a mere mortal to survive this kind of heat and fire. Luckily for Max Johnson, he is no one normal. The journey takes him twenty minutes to reach the source of the problem. Once in the center of the field, he sees her. She shines brightly and burns gently; she has carried this unknown feeling with her for a great amount of time. Every time she allows her mind to drift, it brings her a weakness she refuses to tolerate. Kayleth of craft world Alaitoc begs for the emotion to pass away from her.

Max stops just far from her. Instead of calling to her, he continues to watch her. No words can express what he sees. No amount of training can prepare him for what he sees. Not even the words from his parents told him to be ready for something such as this. As his blank abilities shield him from the warp energy, Max takes a deep breath and continues his walk. Before he can get any closer, he crushes a small twig. The noise causes Kayleth to whip around and see Max. Her body is burning with too much warp flames. Her eyes are completely shooting fire out from within. Her armor sends small fire flakes into the air. All she knows is complete rage. Max looks at her and still he can't believe what he feels. He waves cautiously only to see that coming here was a mistake.

Kayleth cries fiercely, "WHY?!"

Max scratches his head. With just a smile, he whispers the same words once told to her long ago.

He reaches his hand out to her, "Kayleth, you don't have to be mad, confused, or unsure. I didn't mean to leave a mark on you before. And, I apologize for what I did to make you feel so distracted. But, you don't have to do this alone. You don't have to be strong when you are near me. You can allow yourself this one chance to be weak. It can help you focus again."

Instead of attacking or rush at him, she stands perfectly still. The flame still burns with the ground slowly sinking in. The same rage unleashed; Max approaches her more. Kayleth slowly moves backwards before throwing a large warp sphere at him. The sphere passes through him and tears up the ground. Max continues to move slowly forward; Kayleth tries one last time to use all her warp energy to obliterate her target. Before she can bring her arms forward, Max rushes up to her and firmly holds her arms. He grips her hand high and raises the other hand to the sky. He looks deep into her fiery eyes and slowly sees them changing back to normal. The flame of Khaine slowly slips away from her. Once again, she is at peace and the moment of weakness comes from her.

Kayleth says, "Please, I don't want to feel this way anymore. I can't allow myself to…"

Before another word is spoken, Max hushes her lips and tries to hold her.

He says, "There will be more time for you to understand this. For now, no more eldar tricks, no manipulation, no more rage, and no more trying to hit me. I only want you to be at peace with this. And if you need help, I will be there to show you that this is not going to harm you."

Max lets her go, but she holds his hands longer. Max smiles a little. Her hands are soft and smooth. Though the rage is still there, she finally allows herself to accept some form of peace. The feeling still frightens her.

Kayleth says, "I… want more time to understand this; I am afraid of what will happen to me. But, I want to know what this feeling is."

He happily answers back, "Don't worry. By the time our kids are born, they will remember their parents as two vicious people."

She slowly says, "Kids….?"

Before Max can give her a smile, Kayleth punches him in the jaw, "If that is your way of convincing me to be at peace, it won't work Max."

Max looks at her annoyed, "Good, at least you're not being so weak to where I can easily push you over. I still can't believe you are not learning anything."

As the two bicker in the field, four leaders enjoy their night time preparations together.

Lucas says, "We will give them about another three minutes before we set out. Right now, our forces are prepared for the ork activity we discovered."

Veldoran adds, "I can only hope they will improve more than continue holding back."

Elenwe and Lina order the troops to be ready as they advance north-west. The journey would be a long one and much fire power is needed. The Faded Light and War Harbinger float above the camp. Once the majority of troops are aboard, a communication is sent to Max and Kayleth about their plans. The two agree to put off their moment. As a shuttle comes to Max, he takes one last look at Kayleth to see her clear eyes.

He says, "So, are you ok?"

Before she steps into the warp portal, she tries to utter similar words to him. As much as she wants to question him, Kayleth looks away towards her warp portal.

Kayleth replies, "I don't like any of this, but I will try to be less preserved about it."

After she steps into the warp portal, Max signals the shuttle. It didn't take long for the army to begin advancing to the north-west. The morale of the alliance is high. The leaders look forward to finding out who the space marines of Malice are. Even as dark as the galaxy is, the journey to the end shows that the light is always ready to shine.

 **(I recently have been updating and changing a few names, scenes and events in the story. Rest assure, the important names will remain in the story (Max Johnson, Lucas Turner, Lina, Kayleth, etc). The new names will either be changed like the new characters; however, I will finish up this story for all those that read it when I have time and if work isn't too much. For now, keep on reviewing what you read and leave a comment if you like what you see.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _(A threat has come to Saneesh. They walk in utter silence and crave the name of their deity into the enemy. It matters not who their allies are or where the enemy comes from. All will hear a single name burn throughout the void of space._

 **Chapter 2: Section 2 – 1**

The soft grass feels the wind push it to the north. It is a peaceful scene that many have come to admire; a moment of peace sings until the grass is covered. The grass is stained in a thick, red liquid as another falls to the ground. The green skin monster looks up to see the face of its enemy. A lasrifle is aimed at the face of the ork; the trigger is squeezed and life leaves from the body of the ork. A single android of the skitarii legion advances alone with no one to its back. The elimination of the orks only number to a few with each encounter. There are no mobs lurking around; no war chiefs to command and boss around the smaller primates. The android guns down two more orks before continuing its travel to the north. After it advances for a short while, it comes to a new sight.

The ork bodies surround it at every turn; many orks are dead from gun fire. Some are dead from chain sword wounds and several are missing heads. The android moves deeper in the area; every scene shows blood stains everywhere and each ork is killed in different ways. The slaughter is tremendous and everywhere. Before any other further examination can be done, a stray bolter bullet crashes into the head of the robot. It falls to the ground and twitches violently as several more shots damage it. Once the machine is crippled, it turns to the direction the bullets come from. The last image it records in the camera is the mark of Malice on the shoulder of what appears to be a space marine colored in black and white. The video footage ends and flickers black and white static; Lina sighs at her attempt to recover more, but the evidence is clear to all. The space marines of Malice are on Saneesh. As the alliance of the two factions over sees the damage done by the silent ones, the two pairs of three walk off. The eldar go one way. The humans move to another spot; Max records and catalogs in his notes on how the orks have died. He turns to his left to hears Lucas calling him and sees the man hold up a severed ork head like a prize trophy.

Lucas smirks confidently and says, "Here is one for our personal scrap book of ork killers."

Max replies, "If you are done playing with the head of the ork, we got more important things to worry of Lucas. The orks may be dying by the many from the new enemy, but many more are being taken alive. We can't afford to be careless against them."

Lucas shrugs his shoulders only for Lina to say, "Since when did the orks and space marines become your concern for battle? It is not always your way to be so focused Max. Anything you want to share with us?"

At the other side of the landscape, the eldar autarch answers, "I am not interested in your questions of curiosity, Veldoran. What I am interested in is these Sons of Malice and why they oppose their own brethren of chaos. Why do you question me about unimportant issues?"

Veldoran replies, "Oh no, I am sure this is nothing more than the usual _'affection'_ you receive from Max. You may be focused on what is in front of you, but your mind drifts to other areas of interest."

Wraithseer Elenwe walks by scanning the ground; she looks for active warp power use.

She says, "The evidence is clear. Our enemy is not using any warp powers to destroy the foul beasts. And your mind is always adrift, Kayleth. Something is troubling you?"

Kayleth nearly turns red. Before she can reply, a ranger scout reports the unusual findings from the area.

The scout reports: "The ork war boss Bakk Crakka and his band are engaging the enemy just north west of this position. Our human allies will advance in first and draw them out; we are to wait until the right moment to surprise them. The order comes from Max himself; he is formulating a plan and asks for our cooperation."

Before Veldoran and Kayleth speak, Elenwe replies, "It is a good idea. The humans will draw the weaker victims in for a frontal assault. Once done, we can assist them and stop the enemy with a surprise of our own."

The eldar watch from afar as the imperial army leaves. Many imperial guardians bid their farewell to their allies and handfuls of banshee warriors respond in kind. Kayleth watches as Max climbs into the battle tank; Lucas and Lina are traveling behind him in their transport. Veldoran watches Kayleth grip her empty spirit stone around her neck. He sends a message to Lucas by radio com; Lucas receives the message and decides to contact Max.

Max says, "Please tell me you have new information on the Sons of Malice?"

Lucas answers, "The information is the same as before. They fight in utter silence and leave plenty of dead foes behind; they haven't used any warp powers that we know of. Oh and Kayleth sends her regards in case you didn't know."

The scoff sound of Max reveals his disappointment. Lucas sits back and smiles a little as he looks over at Lina keeping her skitarii squads focused by radio channels.

She says, "Despite the many details I am overlooking, I find it ironic that Max wants to give her the cold shoulder now; I wonder what was said between the two."

Lucas agrees, "You have no idea how funny this is. It still is good to know that Max is laying off his charm on her, but there is something more going on between those two that they need to sort out. For now, we lets focus on finding out what we can about this renegade space marine chapter."

As the two keep their mind focus on battle and support preparations, Max sits at the top of the battle tank. His mind goes back to Kayleth; all he sees is her fury. Rarely does he ever get the chance to see a smile. At other times, he remembers seeing her rage overcome her so much that it nearly rips apart the land. Ever since he told her how much he cares, the more difficult she is to him. His last few thoughts are of still of how beautiful she is. The softness of her skin and bright features still give him reasons to smirk; the roar of an explosion forces everyone to look ahead at the coming battle. Max radios every moving vehicle and the War Harbinger to be ready for any surprises. They stop several miles away from the war grounds and set up a small base; Max takes three companies with him and leaves his allies to sort the others out.

War Boss Bakk Crakka swings his axe into a small group of followers. The fragile humans of Malice try to commit suicide by triggering the bombs on their chest. Bakk Crakka throws one human into the air, crushes another with a massive rock, and rips the explosive off. Each bomb fails to take down the war boss as he rallies his horde for more action. The army of Malice silently rushes into the ork horde. Though many commit to suicide and take out a few orks, several more mobs come rushing from the side and send the silent army in retreat. Bakk Crakka orders his camp to be ready for another wave of trouble. As the few second-in-command ork nobs prepare for more intruders, the war chiefs and war boss take to their own council.

Bakk Crakka says, "You'z boyz ar in fo a lot of pain and fun. Dez humies dat don't talk much ar fun to kill. I neva seen dat kind of symbol befo'. Dey keeps comin' to our camp, so we'z gots to be ready for em. Tell all da boyz dat we still gotz sum mor killin' to do. I made sum of me boyz build sum big banners fo ya clan to keep ya boyz in line for ya war chiefs. We already got enuff trouble to deal wit wen da enemy iz righ' ere at da door."

A war chief happily replies, "You'z done alrigh' by me War Boss Bakk Crakka. I will keep me boyz ready fo da enemy."

The second war chief adds, "Da silent humies will die fasta than eva!"

Bakk Crakka instructs, "You two will ead to da front of our camp. Wen da enemy iz close enuff, hit em hard wit ya best stuff. I gots to hold dis ere centa. Ain't no grot lovers gonna leav' dis ere waaagh. So, get ready fo em."

The two war chiefs head to their camps and continue their preparations. It didn't take much for the orks to be eager to fight and die.

With his war chiefs ready for battle and war, Bakk Crakka holds the center of his ork horde together. At each camp, the orks gather up guns, axes, and gear to face the enemy. Many looter tanks roll in every direction as the green horde holds in the urge for war. As a few ork mobs head out into the field, Max and his company encounter their first few groups. The orks that survive rush the news back to the war chiefs and word goes to Bakk Crakka. The war boss sends a few of his elite guards and many mobs to investigate the area; Max orders his imperial guardians to set traps along the way back to their base of operation. For every surprise the orks fall for, the more many orks try to go where the battle is at. Max sends out battle statics and informs every one of the incoming orks. All weapons are loaded; every type of system is set and scanning. As always, Max and Lucas take to the front line and wait. The ground shakes as the orks rush at them; they swing their axes and unleash a mighty war cry. Once they are half way across the field, a wave of gun fire puts several orks down. They rush from the cloak of stealth armed with small pistol bolter. They lift up their chain swords and long swords. The rush is silent as their footsteps shake the ground; the orks engage the silent squads of Malice and continue to rush at the imperial forces. Lucas and Max point out their chances for capturing a weak-willed individual among the soldiers of Malice. As they come from their lines, a sudden surprise occurs from their right flank. Out from the warp and shadows, more Sons of Malice come rushing forward to attack. Lucas continues his march at the orks in front. Max breaks off his companies and tries to engage the enemy. As more orks come to reinforce their allies, a few more squads of Malice join the battle with daemons of Khorne by their side. Before Max and Lucas can engage, the eldar rush from the warp portals around them and cut a path through the enemy ranks.

Veldoran burns the field ahead of his allies; the warlocks put up barriers of energy to stop incoming gun fire. The eldar guardians and dire avengers join the imperial guardians at the front as they gun down orks by the many. Max continues to rush forward as the howling banshees rush in with spears, lances, and swords swinging. Though the orks and soldiers of Malice prove to be many, Kayleth renders their numbers useless as she dives into the center and lets her war cry of Khaine burn away the enemy. Several soldiers of Malice drop to the ground as they see the orks and their allies become burning corpses. Max and his company rush forward and battle any ork and soldier left alive. All around the field, there is blood spilling at every chance. Ork blood falls to the soil. Eldar bleed from wounds. Humans cry out in pain as they bleed from many wounds. The war goes in favor for the alliance though their losses are great. As Max looks among his allies in the field, he sees Kayleth holding her own against more enemies than before. He runs over to her and knocks down any in his way. The blank powers of Max begins to manifest on the field; it causes some orks pain and frightens the warriors of Malice away. From behind her back, a silent man aims his gun at the back of Kayleth. The speed of Max increase tenfold. He rushes into her and tackles Kayleth to the ground. The silent man misses his shot and eliminates an ork. Max turns and fires his laspistol at the man; Kayleth is surprised slightly that Max helps her.

Kayleth is pulled up from the ground by him and he says, "He almost had you. Let's keep going."

Before she can speak, Max shoves her to the side and fires a few more shots. The silent man lets out a cry and alerts others to his pain. Though his allies can save him, they abandon him to the enemy. Lucas leads his forces on as they take down more orks. Veldoran and his warlocks continue to shield their allies from danger as they retrieve their wounded. High above in the sky, the War Harbinger and Faded Light fire medium cannon shells at the orks. It didn't take the enemy long to decide to retreat and inform their war boss of the recent defeat; Lina makes adjustments to the battle tanks with her tech-priests. As Elenwe keeps the morale of the eldar high, they all wait until the smoke clears before taking in the reports. Out at the field, Max and Kayleth observe the broken man marked with the symbols of Malice. The number eleven is on his forehead, shoulders, and knee caps. He groans in pain from his wounds; Max smirks at his success. Kayleth raises her sword to strike the killing blow only for Max to stop her hand. She looks to him with rage-filled eyes.

Max says, "We need him alive for questions. This is the first time since one of their own has remembered what pain is like."

Kayleth argues the issue, "What can you learn from one such as him? His behavior is only to kill us and bring more destruction on us."

Max ignores her words and orders a few soldiers to haul him off. The wounded soldier struggles to lift his arms. Once he is secure, Max moves with them only to feel a grip on his shoulder; Kayleth tries to continue her reasoning with him. Max gently pulls himself from her and continues to walk with his comrades. She wants to question more of his reasons for the sudden change in attitude, but she keeps her personal thoughts to herself for now. Lucas and Veldoran gather up their forces. Along the way, the two chat amongst each other.

Veldoran says, "This battle didn't feel right. It was as if the enemy is leading us into a trap instead of us doing the luring."

Lucas replies, "The orks are slightly predictable when it comes to battle. Right now, they are testing our strength with small war parties before we see their true might. The best thing we can do is prepare our base for the real threat; they may try to catch us off guard now that they realize how serious the battles are."

As the alliance retreats to the base, many things are taken in consideration. The first battle with War Boss Bakk Crakka and Sons of Malice went easy. The next conflict may be more damaging if preparations are not complete.

 **Chapter 2: Section 2 – 2**

The room is silent and water is dripping from a pipe; the room is relaxing. Nothing can be more peaceful than hearing the sound of absolute silence. The soft sounds of a chain clicking against the chair ease the idea of all that has happen. Many spots are bruised with marks. Other cuts are deep and older than a week. The number eleven is marked at various points on the surface. It must have been long ago since the body remembers any type of pain; the promise of it can easily cross the mind of the Dark Princess of Ecstasy; however, it is not enough. The rage would have given notice to the Master of Blood, but it is long gone. Nothing matters no more. Not the pleasure to receive or the want of battle. No dead corpse shall fester nor will fate be determined. All that is certain is absolute silence. The weaken man looks up to the ceiling. A light shines from the wall; he smiles for once. It must have been ages since he could do it. Despite everything that is happening, he feels happy.

A pair of men walk the hall to the room. They didn't need to share what is known among each other nor did they require any help. The next step of their plan depends on how much information is provided to them. They arrive at the door; two heavily armored soldiers salute them. They stand aside and unlock the door. Once the door is unlatched, they step inside to see the same man looking up with hope in his eyes. The heavily armored guardians follow them in and stand at the side of the walls. Both well-dressed men approach the wounded man and look at him to see how happy he is. What could he be smiling for? What else does he know that he will not tell them? His own kind has left him for dead; none of it makes any sense. The questions they have are ready to be spoken. The Lord General steps forward as Noble One circles to the back side of the prisoner.

He says, "Who are you?"

Not a single word is said nor does he utter a syllable. Noble One strikes his head by tapping the open wound; the pain did nothing but makes him smile more.

The Lord General leans in closer, "What do you want?"

The man snarls at him and causes him to jump back; the heavily armored guardians aim their weapons at him. Before he can make another attempt, Noble One steps in his place; he orders the men to lower their weapons. The man looks into his eyes and sees so much emptiness. The power of being a blank nearly causes the man to want to pull back. Instead of pulling back, he is brought closer. The man is looked upon as though he is already dead.

Noble One asks, "Who are you?"

The man slowly smiles and answers, "My name is no longer important. Only thing that matters is the return of the true dark God Malice."

Lord General and Noble One take a chair; they sit in front of the corrupt man and listen with great interest.

Noble One says, "Who is this Malice? Is he another dark God of Chaos?"

The man leans forward slightly and replies, "Long ago, my dark path brought me to Malice. He alone understands chaos as it should be; the False Emperor of Man is weak and the four dark deities of chaos are foolish. They will not rule this galaxy through their followers. Each one will fall before the might of my God. Malice is chaos at its true form. He has no aims to rule the galaxy; there is no plan to have souls or own slaves. He gives of his power freely and accepts those who will stand against their own. Your emperor of the imperium is a husk; he perished centuries ago after my brothers left his service. Khorne is the mightiest of the dark ones yet he shall suffer when no blood spills in his name; there will be no more skulls for him to have upon his throne once Malice returns. Nurgle is the toughest of the four; he will not be long for this galaxy once the ashes are all that remains. Tzeentch is the greatest of fate; his strings of destiny will be cut and thrown into confusion. Slaanesh is the most beautiful of all; the looks will fade once time is no more. We strike only to strengthen the power of our God. And where the four shudder in fear, Malice grows in strength. The return of the One True Chaos God will happen."

Lucas and Max can't believe what they hear. Though no friend to the forces of chaos, the Sons of Malice are no ally to the imperium either. The message of the dark one is clear; the man leans back in his chair and smiles once again. The two leaders step out of the room and take in what they know. A fifth Chaos God that stands against four others sounds too hard to believe. They agree to let the others know of this knowledge. One of the heavily armored guardians calls them back to the issue of the man. They enter the room and see the man shake violently. His eyes widen with pain. A bright red-purple light flashes inside his face. He looks to them and laughs as he shrieks once again. Lucas, Max and the heavily armed guardians rush out of the room.

The man looks up once last time and smiles, "For Malice!"

His body explodes and leaves the room a bloody mess. Once they enter, they find nothing more than a bloody scene of what is left. Max walks in and stops at the remains of a piece of flesh. The number eleven marked on the dead man's skin.

He turns to the others, "It seems the orks are less threatening when compared to the Sons of Malice and his followers."

Lucas agrees to the statement. Both men set off to speak with the others. As they exit the building of the prison, they see so much activity among the imperial guardians and eldar. Though none of the other imperial guard units got involved, the alliance flourishes under the command of everyone.

Lucas says, "This renegade God of chaos does cause interest. What would make him leave his brethren?"

Max replies, "It doesn't matter who this so called Malice is. He and his followers will die just like any other enemy we faced."

Lucas takes notice to the new attitude Max displays. He asks, "So, how are you and Kayleth getting along?"

He answers, "She will do what she does. There will be time for us to talk things out once this threat ends. Let's get to the command center and inform everyone of what we know."

Though eager to tell everyone of the new threat, Lucas worries slightly over how Max is behaving. Once they arrive, Lucas keeps his lips sealed the entire time as Max tells everyone of what they learned. The news hardly startles the eldar; Lina questions everything Max has told them. From what they gathered on combat of the Sons of Malice to the short interrogation of the man, the answer only comes as before. The Sons of Malice will continue their war against both the imperium and chaos forces until both sides fall. Until more is proven, they would deal with the enemy on their own terms. Max takes his leave of the others and Kayleth disappears from the area as well. Veldoran and Lucas focus on what they can do to give them an edge; they both speak of what else is going on at the moment.

Veldoran says, "The ever present orks continue to press in from the south. The news from our scouts tells of infighting among the clans. Bakk Crakka is losing his support."

Before anyone can begin formulating strategies, a man rushes to the group.

He reports: "Sir, Noble One Max Johnson is taking some men with him to deal with the orks in the south."

Lucas looks to Veldoran and hopes that Kayleth has gone with him.

He says, "I will see if our autarch is assisting with the attack in the south. She may be able to report things back to us about what they discover."

Veldoran disappears to go and find Kayleth; Lucas continues to read over reports and issue out orders. Far in the center of machines and tanks, Elenwe and Lina take a moment to gaze at the grand team work of the enginseers and bone singers. Both sides repair and modify their transports and tanks with ease; there are a few moments when difficult challenges present themselves. Lina's sighs are taken notice by Elenwe.

She says, "Techno Woman, what seems to bring your heart low?"

Lina replies, "My heart is great as it should be. The only thing bringing me low is the lack of focus my enginseers need. They are great, but I need them to be better. They have been at their machines for longer than two days."

A tech priest calls to Lina as one of the battle tank cracks one of the wheels. Lina sighs and goes to assist; Elenwe uses her time to mediate on the affairs of today. As Lina assist the tech priests, she tries her best to remind her new enginseers that any machine spirit can easily be annoyed if not cared for properly. With the strike of her hand, he takes a hard fall to the ground. The roar of the men and women urges the fight to continue. He pulls himself together and shakes off his fall; he holds his sword proudly and waits for the next strike. She walks calmly and leaves herself open to attack. Many complain that he is stalling and a few urge him to take a chance. With no other way to anticipate her moves, Carl charges at Shelia only to end up on the soil face first.

Shelia says, "How can you survive against me when you are not at your best?"

Carl turns on his back and clicks a small trigger. A smoke bomb goes off and covers the center field in smoke. Shelia laughs as Carl tries to catch her off guard. With so many others unable to see and the eldar waiting, Carl tries a new approach. A small pinch noise goes off. Shelia strikes at the object with her fist. Instead of flesh, she crushes a small voice box. As the smoke clears away, the imperial guardians cheer only to be silently disappointed. Carl manages to have his sword against her neck; however, Shelia easily leaves an inch of space away for her blade to stab his heart.

He says, "Not bad, but really did you have to fall for that when you could've stopped it?"

Shelia laughs, "Maybe I wanted to you fall for the trap so I can catch you off guard."

The crowd applauses the duo for a fine display of moves; Kayleth finds herself watching everyone from a high foundation. Her thoughts are clear, but something else is troubling her heart. She keeps her mind focused on the area and tries to block out the face of her desire; it helps her none. After trying so hard to search for her, Veldoran appears at one of the high foundations. He looks out into the area discovers her warp signature not as bright as it should be.

Before he can warp to her area, Kayleth telepathically says, "I need to be alone. If any other problems come up, let Lucas and his mon-keigh deal with it. The eldar are waiting."

Veldoran replies, "I would check the south region of our base of operation. That is all I will say."

Once he leaves out of range, Kayleth leaps to the next high tower of the base. Though uninterested in the reason, she uses her warp powers to enhance her eye sight. She sees a small band of humans advancing through the land. They each are excited and heavily equipped with laspistols or rifles; something is wrong though. The more she looks, the harder it becomes to see what lies ahead of them. She teleports to the south exit of the base. Once close enough, she uses her powers to hear the words of the guardsmen and imperial guardians.

One guardsman says, "I hear the orks are in this region. I hope they offer us a good fight for a change."

Kayleth focuses on another voice, "Man, those orks are tough. The space marines of the dark ones are tougher; I hope we can last through this."

A third voice says, "The leaders are facing a danger like none other. I hope we can survive against the enemy like before."

The next person says, "I want my children to have a safe future. For the imperium of mankind, I will lay down my life."

The final two voices agree, "Yes, this is going to be a real challenge for us. The leadership of Lucas is a boost, but we have the next best leader among us. His blank abilities will service us well if we encounter any real threats."

The last voice sent an unusual chill down her spine. Kayleth tries to use her warp power to hear and see who leads the army to the south; a cold wave and empty void blocks her abilities. She quickly hurries off to find her small company and goes to report to Lucas. She appears in the middle of the war planning and shocks everyone with her demands.

Kayleth says, "Why did you let him go off on his own?"

Lucas answers, "We didn't let him do anything. He went of his own free will and didn't bother to tell us about it. I sent a few more companies as support for him."

Veldoran carefully replies, "You did say you need time to process the next step. So…?"

She harshly answers, "I see no other choice than to pick up where you didn't wish to finish. I will go to the south and follow Max. We will report back once the deed is done."

Kayleth rallies her group of howling banshees and dire avengers for battle. Lucas and Veldoran try to reason with her; however, Kayleth opens a warp portal. As her eldar warriors pass through the portal, the other imperial soldiers watch in amazement. Lucas radios Lina to take the defense of the base. At the same time, Veldoran agrees to strengthen the warp barriers around the base. Lucas sets off to find Elenwe; the pair team up with a small company and travel by foot. The race to follow Max becomes a journey for all to see. Kayleth manages to appear just two miles ahead of Max and his army; she sets up a war camp and scouts ahead of him. It didn't take the eldar long before coming under attack by the orks. Even with few numbers, the eldar manage to slay scores of orks upon the land. Kayleth urges her kin to hold the position for the arrival of Max and his army. More orks try to eliminate the eldar. The fury of Kayleth burns the orks alive as her flame burst from within.

The eldar leap and cut; They stab and strike at their foes. Many of the orks try to take their life, but the chances are low. No rest for the eldar comes as the orks try to push in on them. Kayleth holds her war band together through sheer confidence. As the next orks leap at her, a lasrifle is heard firing. The blast burns off the left side of the ork. The roar of the battle tank fires a shell at the enemy. The eldar see the orks retreat as familiar faces join them. The imperial guardians set up a small camp by the eldar strike base. Kayleth approaches one of the officers and questions her.

She says, "Where is your commander at? Where did Max go to?"

The officer answers, "He told us that once we are in deep enough to set up camp. I am surprised that he didn't predict you being here. He has gone into the east landscape. Something about killing the orks supply camps there."

Kayleth takes a few rangers with her to advance in the last known direction. The eldar and imperial guardians continue to set up camp. As the small team heads into the east, the scouts do their best to keep up with Kayleth. For every set of orks encountered, Kayleth cuts down each one before a single scout can fire. What is driving her to move so fast? Why does she move with such speed? None of the rangers are sure. The only thing certain is catching up to where Max is at. A large group of ork nobs stand alert and ready; Kayleth leaps in the center of them and burns the orks to ash.

 **Chapter 2: Section 2 – 3**

Every nerve sends a signal of worry to the brain; the mind alerts every muscle in the body to twist and turn. The flame of Khaine burns all within the area. Many bodies are set on fire. Others fall to dust and ash; the thrust from the arm is strong. The light blue sword pushes through the green skin. The swinging allows the blade to lop off the heads of the enemy. Each foe that tries only dies with ease. Every attempt to surprise her fails. Before any eldar ranger can assist her in battle, Kayleth leaves each area burning with fire and dead orks on the ground. The scouts try to keep up with her, but her speed is unmatched; the fury of Khaine allows her to move with speed that her kin can barely follow. The rampage and slaughter of orks leaves her small unit amazed. Kayleth finishes off another bunch of orks. She uses her warp powers to see where to go to next. Her efforts to locate him prove useless.

She yells in frustration, "Where is he at? How can Max just leave? He brings us more trouble than we are ready for."

Kayleth and the scouts sprint off in the next area. Before going any deeper, the eldar sense a void and hollow feeling circling around them. Everyone shudders at this uncomfortable feeling. Kayleth nearly welcomes the unsure threat despite how it weakens her. As strong as it is, the void feeling slowly disappears. The eldar scan the area; it is too quiet; Kayleth looks around the area. She finally sees him, but he is hurt with minor injuries. The eldar rush over from the left to join them. Max Johnson has survived his dangerous journey with a few of his surviving guardsmen and imperial guardians with him. Kayleth nearly let a smile be shown until Max begins to issue orders for a safe retreat back to the small imperial camp. As he walks his weaken and tired unit pass the eldar, Kayleth questions his reasons.

She says, "Why would you take this journey alone? Do the lives of your people mean very little to you? Has your trust in your faithful comrades been misplaced?"

Max pushes on. The transport cart carries only those that still breathe from painful wounds.

Kayleth reaches for his shoulder and says, "I asked you a question, Max Johnson. Why would you under take this journey alone with barely any support. As strong as your men are, you journey out here alone. Why did you journey out here alone with a handful of warriors? Has the urge for battle proven to be your calling than caution?"

The constant ignoring only increases her anger. She cuts off his walk and presses once more only to be ignored again. Her rage tries to come out; she keeps it in check as they all fall back to the small base. Once the others are ahead, Kayleth does what she can to block out the anger and rage of being ignored. After the camp is settled, Max is suddenly pulled to the side by force. He encounters Kayleth less unhappy to see him and tries to pull away only to feel a blade near his neck.

She says, "Give me a solid reason why I should deliver your head to your allies for this constant lack of care?"

Before he can move away, she presses the blade harder on his neck. Max turns to her with eyes full of some rage. Kayleth nearly shows her fear of his power and backs off slightly.

He sighs and answers, "The fight was a mere test of strength. The Sons of Malice are no longer within the area and have gone further to the south. If not south, they may have moved their camp away from us. For now, there has been nothing but orks all around us. Now, if you are done trying to harm me further, I have my own wounds to attend to for care."

As he pulls away, Kayleth asks, "Why do you continue to ignore my words? Is dying apart of your new approach to battle?"

Max ignores her as walks away. Instead of stopping him, she feels sadness. The threats on his life did nothing to him; Kayleth sheathes her weapon and keeps her kin ready for war. Max sends the information back to the base and advices everyone to be ready to fall back; in fact, he sends information to his allies to send a few thousand reinforcements to his area. He advices the eldar warlock to be ready for combat in his area. As Kayleth stands back and witnesses Max ordering others around, she questions his every intention and tactic.

She thought, _"I must have made a mistake. He must know something else is going on."_

Kayleth allows her howling banshees to be alert and focused. She allows her command to be governed by Max temporary until things become more settle. A few orks come by and try to raid the small camp; each group is pushed back and eliminated. Max uses similar tactics to the eldar that equally make both side invincible to assaults. Within hours, everything quiets down. Both camp sites of the alliance are ready for surprises. At the main camp, Veldoran and Lucas keep the factions ready for battle and aware; Lina and Elenwe keep the perimeter under careful watch. Not a single ork is in sight of the base. From route patrols to scouts heading five miles out, no ork is seen. With their able allies not present, the four commanding figures at the base speak among each other.

Veldoran says, "Do you really believe she will be ok with him not telling her his reasons?"

Lina adds, "You know he has his _'own'_ sense of right. Why would he keep that from her if this is a simple test of strength?"

Elenwe agrees, "Your friend Max is an interesting human to make such choices; I was under the impression that he cooperates with her more than anyone."

Lucas laughs greatly and places his notes on the table, "You are all worried more than I am for his and her safety. Max Johnson may be a great fool for doing this alone, but I believe in his methods. I did question him about it, but he assures me through gestures that he has everything under control. I do not believe he will allow himself to be placed in complete danger. Plus, he has your commander with him. They can be quite a force if they agree to work together as we have."

Before any more questions come from the group, they receive a report of ork mobs gathering for an assault. Lucas jumps for excitement at the chance to take the mob of Bakk Crakka down more; Lina happily assists. Elenwe and Veldoran agree that such desires are not their concern. As the reports get sent to Max at his camp sight, he nods his head in agreement and convinces his officers to remain on stand-by. Once everything is settled, Max allows himself a moment to relax. He goes out into the open and sees a small, blue light shining. He heads towards it only to be stopped by the eldar howling banshees. He assures the guardians that he only wishes to bring information to share with Kayleth. They allow him to pass freely; Max comes to a large boulder with the blue light atop of it. He looks around to see that there is nothing to climb up on to reach the top. He calls to Kayleth; she doesn't answers.

Max shouts, "We will move out soon. I believe our enemy is ready for us."

As he tries to leave, Kayleth reappears before him. She is floating in the air with her legs crossed. She opens her eyes to reveal her light blue emerald irises.

She says, "Is there anything else you wish to share with me before we head out?"

Max replies only with little information; he tries to leave again. Before he gets far, Kayleth approaches him differently. Instead of a blade to his neck or a fist to his jaw, she presses her palm against him with a nervous shudder. Max looks into her eyes to see a side of her that he rarely gets to view unless provoked with rage.

Kayleth asks, "Did…did I do anything to hurt your feelings?"

Max answers, "No, I am ok."

She asks, "Did you learn anything of the Sons of Malice?"

He replies, "Nothing too new or out of the ordinary."

She says, "Did Lucas or Lina encourage you to undertake this journey alone?"

"No, they didn't know until I told a scout to report back to them."

"Did Veldoran or Elenwe try to manipulate you into working with me out here?"

"Your allies know nothing of my new approach."

Kayleth starts to show worry, "Did you stop caring about the lives of everyone around you?"

Max confusingly says, "What is with the questions? Surely, you want to ask me something important. What is it?"

She begins to breathe harder and slowly approaches him; Max steps back a little with some caution as she looks at into his eyes. She grips her spirit stone and tries to speak.

Kayleth finally asks, "Did I do anything wrong to upset you?"

Max sighs and moves close to her, "You did nothing wrong. Right now, everything is as it should be for us. We face dangerous foes that need to be stopped. As for anything going on between us, there will be time for it. For now, be ready."

As he tries to go away, Kayleth stops him again. Max gently touches her hand. She shakes slightly out of fear; he feels her relax and be at peace. She chuckles slightly. As they back away, she can't help but feel happiness. Kayleth keeps her emotions on high guard despite the urge to want more than just a pleasant chat.

Kayleth says, "Do you believe our chances for victory are possible?"

Max replies, "A question for another time. For now, let's get to work and stop the enemy."

As they keep looking on at the area, the need to embrace her is strong within him. They look to the sky and see the stars shine brightly; the view is amazing. They both receive word from their allies about the recent orks they encounter. After rallying their forces, they begin to coordinate a flank maneuver on the orks. At the front line of the alliance, Lucas and Elenwe keep their allies together. Lucas shouts out commands and Elenwe strengthens the resolve of her kin; Veldoran employs warp powers to burn the landscape ahead of them. Lina pulls up targets on the monitor for the War Harbinger and Faded Light to strike at. As the alliance looks out into the land, the orks roar and jump for excitement. Two of the war chiefs come to the front and urge their war horde onward.

One war chief roars, "You'z elda an humies ar not gonna live past dis day. We'z orkz ar ere to hav fun. So, don't die too eazy on uz."

The second chief adds, "Let's go boyz! Time ta kill!"

The tide of green skin rushes on the allies. Imperial guardsmen, imperial guardians, storm troopers, dire avengers, eldar guardians, and rangers all take aim. Lucas aims his bolter gun at the mob coming at them. With one order issued, the weapons fire into the mobs approaching them. Many orks fall to the ground dead or get wounded. Mobs of nobs rush on and engage the ogryns and howling banshees in close combat. The eldar leap into action and slaughter many orks. Before the mobs can over power them, they leap back. Ogryn packs charge and bash their shields into the orks. Guardsmen throw grenades overhead and move up to support their allies. The blood spilling occurs everywhere and sounds of screaming fill the air. As war surrounds them, four people keep their army in shape and press on.

Lucas shouts, "Move up those front lines. The orks are many, but they all shall die. Do not give into fear. The ogryn line will hold back the larger orks. Our eldar allies will help us strike the killing blow."

Elenwe roars and fires eldritch powers into mobs, "The green tide will always rise up to power. Like always, the orks will die and suffer more than ever. Support the humans and eliminate this threat."

Lina gives directions, "I need a squad to suppress the enemy at this area. Do not let the orks get too close to you. Your only task is to lure them. Once they are close enough, let the warlocks burn them out. If any try to run, take out their legs."

Veldoran enhances his nearby warlocks, "You have grown stronger than before. Now is the time to use what you know. Burn the field the orks stand in. If any survive your warp powers, the skitarii legion will eliminate them."

The eldar warlocks burn the field ahead of the skitarii squads as the orks die off. With so many orks keeping the eldar and imperium on the defense, they hardly have any time to advance. Every ork line they take out, several more pile up. One of the war chiefs leads his mob through the first line of defenders. Lucas takes out his sword and engages the war chief. The war chief swings his mighty axe and tries to crush Lucas. A warp shield from Elenwe blocks the axe. The Wraithseer moves in and swings her spear at the ork chief. It jumps back and allows an ork deff dread to fight Elenwe. Lucas picks himself up and runs at the ork machinery. Elenwe disables the deff dread with her powers. Once the machine is unable to move, Lucas leaps on one of its arms. He pulls the pin of a single grenade attach to his belt; he drops the belt down an opening on the ork deff. With a leap into the air, Elenwe catches Lucas with warp energy and pulls him away from the blast. The ork deff dread erupts and pieces are thrown everywhere. Lucas touches back down and cries out: _For the alliance!_ The imperial army rises up and joins him as the ogryns push the orks back. The orks go on a rampage until a powerful shriek shatters the air. Though battle rages on, the eldar cry: _For the alliance!_ The imperial soldiers push back the orks. The numbers of the enemy didn't count for anything once the eldar join their allies. Each sword swing lops off limbs; every lance thrust tears through the green muscle. No ork is spared. No ork runs. It is a mob of destruction before the eyes of everyone.

In the high hills of the land, Kayleth and Max look down into the field. They see their allies and kin battle hard into the morning. With the enemy truly distracted, they call up their allies and let them know to join the battle. Once their allies come up, the two lead the charge into the enemy horde. Every ork marching towards the front is cut down from the side. Battle tanks fire into crowds of orks and shatter looter tanks. Kayleth leaps into the air and lands in the center of an ork mob. She lets the flame of Khaine explode from within her body and burn away the enemy. She moves with such grace that many eldar see several orks fall. As ork weird boys try to use their power, Max nullifies the area and renders them worthless. The warp energy flows through Max and allows him to speed silently by the orks. He slays twice as many as Kayleth does; the orks parties begin to retreat. Though several are still rampaging, they all fall dead to the might of the alliance. The war chiefs rush into the fight; Lucas and Veldoran challenge each of the contenders. Veldoran tries to use flames to burn his opponent only for the beasts to charge at him. Before the ork can strike him down, Max surprises the attacker with his sheer strength and sword. Every hit drives the ork back; Veldoran joins Max in the attack. A cut to the thigh cripples the ork from moving fast. A second slash breaks into the ork further. Max rams his sword into the back of the beast. Once he frees his sword, Veldoran lifts the creature into the sky. With his full power summoned, Veldoran burns the ork to ash from the inside out. The second war chief holds Lucas by his throat; the monster raises his axe above his head. Before he can deal the killing blow, Kayleth cuts off his arms. Lucas falls from the ork grip. He drives is sword into the body of the beast. Surprisingly, he pushes the creature over and crams one final grenade into its mouth. Kayleth pulls him away just in time as the bomb goes off. The orks are beaten back; there are injuries of many on both sides. The lives of others are gone, but the ork morale is broken once again. Their victory has been complete.

 **Chapter 2: Section 2 – 4**

The rage is impossible to control. There is so much uncontrolled rage all around. The loss of the war chiefs is too much for him to keep his rage in check. A smack to the head causes an ork to fall and a head-butt makes another ork dizzy; Bakk Crakka didn't want to hear a single word on why the eldar and humans manage to push them back. They had everything needed to win the fight. A set of looter tanks now burn; ork nobs lay dead in the soil with a head missing. Many more die from wounds too great for even the mightiest ork to survive. Ork deff dreads explode and mobs of orks rush to their war boss. It may have been a great fight to a lot; however, the war boss is not pleased with how worthless his mob presents itself.

He roars, "You'z betta be not runnin' from dem humies an eldar no mo. Dis is da most un-orky choice you grot lovers eve made. Now, dey kno we'z weak."

A war chief says, "We'z not finish wit dem yet. We can still win it."

Bakka Crakka disagrees, "I will leav da humies an eldar to you. I gotz otha boyz to deal wit in da next battle. Keep dis land ere unda your control. Once I tak dez otha humies out, I will be bakk to finish da rest."

The war chief happily agrees to his charge and sets the orks up to be ready for any intruders. War Boss Bakk Crakaa and his last war chief take a large mob to the south west area. It didn't take much to keep the orks excited for another battle and the mob of Bakk Crakka is nearly endless as he takes his main horde further away. The journey is thirty miles south-west of the last known war camp. Once enough distant has been covered, the land under the orks slowly enters its transformation. The gretchin gather supplies and metal. The smaller, runty orks snatch up parts and pieces. Many huts are constructed to house the orks of every kind. The shooting bunch fire into the open and roar with great pride. The explosive bunch set off a few bombs just south of the area. Commando type orks sharpen their blades and load up on ammo. At the center of the horde, Bakk Crakka and his war chief send out orders to keep the bunch ready for war.

The war chief says, "You see how dis waaagh ere will last? I made sure nothin' will get in ere wit out setting off any alertz."

Bakk Crakka replies, "Is dat so? What ya done set up around ere fo us?"

The war chief continues, "We'z got towers from ere to da edgez of da landscape dat we ain't scout yet. Our patrols ar lookin' all day and night to find dez humies you spoke of. Our improved looter tanks iz ready for combat. If da tanks won't get em, den da rokket boyz will dive in and rush em."

Before any more details can be explained, a small ork comes running to them, "War boss! War chief! Da enemy iz around da area! We need ta beat da drums!"

As the war chief beats the large drum to send out the massive ripple, the war boss looks on to see his mob of orks get ready for trouble. The noise picks up in various areas as the orks rally others for battle. The ork energy of the green horde is energized and the war chief takes to the front to lead his mobs out; every small and large ork follow the war chief into battle. Bakk Crakka keeps the morale high as the others look for an enemy to slaughter. Once the orks are away from the familiar areas of the land, they encounter a threat greater than their mobs are. Several orks die from bolter fire. The war chief roars for his mob to spread out; they hack at trees and bushes. Many orks burn the landscape area of them. The war chief looks ahead of his mob to see a lone man stand before them; he calls to his mob. The orks face the lone man and look upon him. The man is quiet and wears the clothes of a space marine initiate; his armor is light. The colors are black and white. A human skull and ork head are the shoulder pads. The orks advance slowly on him. The initiate looks up and shows the orks his lips are sealed shut; the war chief rallies to the orks and orders them to take out the man. A single ork gladly charges at the man. Before the ork gets far, the space marine fires a bolter at it. The ork dies easily from the head shot. The war chief welcomes the fight as does he orks.

Three more orks try to gang up on the man. The space marine puts away his bolter and leaps at the orks. He lops off the head of one ork and cuts off the legs of the next brute. The last ork has his head cleaved in half. Normally, this kind of fighting display would frighten the enemy. Instead, the orks cheer for the great display of skill the man shows. The war chief takes the fight to the single man himself. Before he can engage him, the space marine raises his hand. The orks and war chief look around. From the shadows of the landscape, several space marines of Malice rush upon the orks. The orks happily engage the enemy; the war chief continues to advance on the initiate only to face down a new wave of troops. Every soldier bears the mark of Malice proudly; they fight in utter silence and slay the orks by the many. More orks come and slaughter the humies only to be surprised that the humans didn't offer much for battle. The orks stop only fifty humans. Though the numbers of dead orks are great, the war chief happily goes to report his success. As the orks move in to kill the space marine initiate, the man looks up and smiles with such delight. The orks are puzzled by why the man smiles. The man pulls a string from his cloak. A small clicking noise goes off; the dead bodies in the area tick away softly. The orks look around and see small lights appear on the body. As the orks look back at the man, they can't believe what they see. The man smiles and breathes his last breath. With his final breath, he whispers: _For Malice._

With a thunderous sound, the land around the orks explodes. Bombs on the dead followers of Malice take down more orks than ever. The war chief looks back only to see fire and pieces of orks fall to the landscape. He hurries back to the base and looks for his war boss. As the orks hope for some interesting news, war boss Bakk Crakka gets a shock.

He says, "You…youz…lost all da boyz in ya first battle? Dat waz lik…half or less of wha we got."

War chief replies, "Nothin' ta worry ova boss. It iz a minor setback. We will wait fo da humies to get in our camp. Once dey all ar ere, we slaughter dem all. Dey don't kno of our trap gate."

Bakk Crakka agrees to the plan. The orks set up their ambush parties and take positions within the camp. Once ready, it didn't take them long to wait before they see a single person walk into their base. The person wears old imperial clothes; the clothes are ripped at several areas, but the new patches bear the mark of Malice. The human looks around the area to see that the orks are ready. She reaches into her pocket and extends her staff out. She plunges the staff into the ground. The orks look on as the 'sparky' stick channels a small amount of electricity. She wields the staff greatly with very little effort. Once done, she steps forward five times and takes a knee. The staff shoots out warp energy and slowly allows a few people to step through. They join the woman at the front of the staff and take a knee. Once the last person joins them, the same warp energy expands. A wave of humans come rushing out. They make no noise and charge straight into the first mob of orks they see. Though great the orks are in numbers, they are easily slaughtered. The lust for battle is no longer holding many orks back. As more humans silently pour into the field from the warp portal, the orks in hiding finally let their voices cry a single word: _WAAAGH!_

Out from the bushes and dark corners of their camp, the orks crash and slash into the humans. A large number of humans are slain and more are taken captive. Before any more fighting can be done, the unexpected happens. The humans near the fading warp portal stand and walk backwards. Mobs of orks move in for the killing blow until the faces of the enemy can be seen. The woman at the front smiles with red eyes and raises her hand high to the sky. She clicks a small device and a set of red lights flash on several humans; they are instantly exploding within the mobs of other ork bands. The portal flashes violently and the shockwave shoves the orks back. The damage done causes many more to come out of hiding. The warp portal opens wide and more humans come forth. The next set of humans are heavily armored and carries skulls on the shoulder pads. The soft walk out of the warp sends a small shudder down the spine of several orks. Though the mob stands ready for war, they now face the true might of the dark renegade God Malice. The colors of their master shine black and white. They speak no word nor utter no war cry of battle; they march in union and face down the mobs of orks that stand before them. Once the last person comes out, the warp portal closes. The orks look on and waste no time charging at them. The space marines of Malice move with unmatched speed. The death of the orks slowly rises; even as more orks join the foray on their foes, not a single life from the Sons of Malice is taken. The burner boys of the ork tribe come in and scorch the area. The flames from their device cause no damage to the flame resist armor of the space marines. With a few tosses of their grenades, the burner boys of the ork tribe catch on fire. A set of rocket flying orks fall upon the army. Instead of a crushing blow, the Sons of Malice leap into the air. Many use their abilities of the warp to boost upward. Some use their jet packs and bring their chain sword through an ork's head. The majority wait for the orks to try and land fall only to end up falling to bolter fire.

A large mob of ork nobs come rushing at the silent army. They roar with a mighty cry at the enemy; it does nothing to scare the space marines. The first few lines move to the side; the next line is open to their machine bolter crew. Instead of normal bullets, they fire explosive shells at the ork nobs. The field erupts and throws the orks around. More nobs come rushing forward and manage to get close. They easily engage the space marines in close combat only to die as easily as they begin. The orks move back as the silent army comes face to face with an ork weird boy; the ork channels his uncontrolled warp energy. The silent army stops and opens the field of battle for the chaos sorcerer. As he stands boldly and waits, the ork begins to choke on the fluid in his own body. The jaws of the ork fill with disgusting liquid; he sends a field of warp vomit at them. The psyker snaps his finger and easily dispels the warp vomit. The weird boy can't believe his technique fail. He tries to send scrap metal at the enemy. Again, the psyker counters the warp power of the ork; the weird boy howls in great rage and summons more power. His fellow orks rally at his side and believe that his next attack will devastate the enemy. The psyker steps forward and clears himself of his allies. He looks to the sky and uses his warp vision to see a medium size rock hang in orbit. The ork laughs and brings it crushing down on his opponent. The man continues to watch as the rock comes at him. The ork weird boy looks on with rage in his mind and heart. Instead of seeing fear and running, the chaos psyker opens his arms and embraces the massive rock.

One close enough, the warp energy from around his body wraps around the rock. The same energy makes a connection to the space marine psyker. Once it is firmly ready, the medium rock falls into the space marine. As it comes closer to his body, the rock slowly shrinks until it is no larger than a pebble. The rock connects to the space marine and disappears into the warp. The ork is dumb struck by what he sees; the rock was massive enough to level the area. It was reduced to a mere pebble. The other orks rush at the psyker hoping to cleaver his head; he easily rids himself of the orks with the raw edge of his power. The ork weird boy summons any leftover warp power he has. Before he can gather enough, the space marine psyker holds his palm at the ork. The ork freezes in place. As more warp energy for the ork gathers around him, his skin slowly melts. Though he tries to stop it, the energy of the warp continues to gather. The ork channels his rage and aims it at the psyker. With the last of his power, the ork sends a burst of power at the army. The space marine psyker is caught off guard and uses more of his warp power. With a powerful shield blocking the attack, the ork weird boy dies. A few other orks in the area lose their head from the back lash of warp energy. The silent army continues to march forward and eagerly wait for more orks to approach; the space marine psyker joins the others.

A cannon fire strikes the ground in front of the army. Ork looter tanks roll to the front and stop the silent army. The tank ork operators cheer and roar to see how well the enemy would stop their might. A single space marine scout steps to the front. He removes his rifle and takes aim. He slows his breathing down and holds for five seconds. He fires a single shot at the ork tank. It penetrates the front armor of the looter tank. As always, the orks think nothing of it until the unthinkable happens. The bullet lifts the first tank in the air. The tank is slowly crushed from the warp energy from the bullet. As the second tank is pulled into it, the warp energy grows more and takes up two more tanks. In mere seconds, all five looter tanks are crushed together and pulled into the warp. The orks mobs of the tank boys roar in rage and charge at the silent army. Not a single Son of Malice is slain; no wounds are given to them. No death cries befall them. No retreat. No fear; no mercy. Only thing that is coming from them is complete silence. The silent army approaches the next set of orks. They send out as many ork nobs, ork mobs, and mad boys as they can spare. The tide of the green horde is large and massive. Rather than wait for death, the space marines perform a spear head method. A single space marine leads the charge. Three more space marines closely follow. Five more pick up the pace behind them. Seven join at the rear. Three groups of eleven space marines form a triangle and attack the ork mobs ahead of them. Though the groups are heavily surrounded, they slay the orks of all sizes. The mad boys fall to their silent might; the mobs scatter and fall with each swipe of the chain swords. Every ork nob is easily thrown back. The three groups of eleven breaks off and engage as many orks are they can separately. The main force still silently moves up as a whole. They do not help their brothers and take no need to notice the other orks around them. Once the damage is done, they rejoin and adjusts their formation.

War Boss Bakk Crakka comes to the front and sees that the same marching army is moving towards his kill zone. Though he didn't accept the fact that his war chief was right, he smiles. He hurries back away from the approach army. Once they are in deep enough, the ground around them shakes and sinks downward. The silent army falls into a hole; the war boss and war chief gather their fellow ork around them and laugh at the ambush they caught them in. The Sons of Malice gather together and reform their formation. The mobs of orks stand over the edge and laugh at how well they can easily kill them. The army continues to stand perfectly still and wait for the orks to do what they are ready to do. Every gun carrier and shooter comes to the edge. They cheer and roar for the other orks to witness how pathetic their victims are. Despite the massive amount of roaring and cheering, the silent army of Malice stands perfectly still. The ork gunners take aim and unleash a wave of bullets into the sink hole; a few other orks throw in flame grenades and bombs causing further damage. The more they pour into the sink hole, the dustier the area becomes. The orks go at it for nearly five minutes straight until they stop. As the area clears up, no death cries of pain are heard. No noise of whimpering survivors. It is still absolute silence. As Bakk Crakka looks into the hole with his cybernetic eye, he is struck with shock.

The entire company of followers for Malice are gone. Nothing is left of them in the center. Once the dust settles, the orks are at a loss for words too. No signs of blood trail and no limbs laying around the sink hole. It is as if they were ghosts. A few orks journey into the hole and look around. They didn't find anything. The war boss checks his surroundings and finds nothing in the area. The war chief looks out into the open area. Not a single space marine or follower is seen. They rush in their armored teams and remain as quiet as the tomb stone. The enemy has no idea that they are in for a surprise. The first cut rips open an ork; the next stab eliminates the scout. As the green horde looks to the rear of their camp, they see a surprise and welcome it. The silent army of Malice rush from the hillside with lighting speed. How did they get there? When did they slip pass the orks? It didn't matter since the fight can now be continued. As Bakk Crakka leads his advance mobs forward, he slowly backs off and slips off to the side. He retreats from the field of battle with his war chief and a mob of orks with him. Though the choice is un-orky, the war chief questions the reason.

The war chief ork says, "Why we'z runnin' fro dem humies instead of fightin' em? Dey can stil die!"

Bakk Crakka replies, "You git! Yo don't see wha dem humies ar doing ta us? If we stay an fight, den who else iz gonna lead dis ere waaagh? We'z gonna get da boyz from da last ork camp, an we will come bak ere ta finish dez humies off."

Before the orks advance too far, a stray of bullets cut them down. The war chief watches as Bakk Crakka is cut down with chain swords. With a final swift of the arm, the notorious ork war boss dies. The war chief can't believe his own ears; the death noise of his war boss sends him in a rampage. As he tries to attack the unknown attackers, he loses his own head. The orks are leaderless now. Out from the shadows of the warp, the ranking officers of Malice step forward. As they promise, they deny the flesh for Nurgle to see fester and claim the skulls from Khorne as their own. The pain and pleasure will not be made known to Slaanesh. The fate and destiny of Tzeentch will not be his to control. Once they have what they need, the silent army returns to the battle and look for more orks to kill that are fleeing. She remains alone and looks to the last direction of the battle. The orks lost their leader. Now, the imperial army and eldar have a chance to finish them off; the silent officer heads in the direction of her interesting foes. With her army now halting the orks, the time to parley will be upon her.

 **Chapter 2: Section 2 – 5**

The land is at peace if only for a few moments; they march back proud and happy. Lucas leads the army back proud of their victories. The success of the orks being dealt with fills him with pride. The number of hurt and wounded are large in numbers and the death of a thousand shakes the confidence of the imperial guardsmen. The imperial guardians remain focus and proud that they stopped another massive ork horde even if the peace won't last forever. The eldar allies nurse their wounds back and remain alert for any surprise. They collect and send any spirit stones to the infinity circuit for safe keeping; Veldoran and Elenwe use their warp powers to heal the eldar for battle. Even with the peaceful allies, the eldar too enjoy a small moment of victory. Once the armies safely return, the humans pile out of the war tanks. Many more leave their transports to enjoy a decent rest. The news of the war takes to the guards on defense and builders. They can't believe the success they achieved. Many smile at the great victory; only one person feels unsure that this will not be the end. Lucas nudges Max on his shoulder.

He says, "What keeps you lost in thought Max? Is not the death of the ork tribes enough to remind you that victory will always be achieved?"

Max replies, "I understand we won a great battle, but there is still something in the air that tells me to remain alert and ready. I am sure Kayleth would be doing the same."

Lina joins her friend and lover, "Does the great Noble One feel a little lonely from his other half?"

Max scoffs and adds, "Maybe she needs me more than I need her. Plus, she has never forgiven me for leaving that mark on her."

As the three laugh and talk among each other, she looks at them from the safety of the Faded Light. Every thought of her being swirls with confusion as she wonders the same question over and over again.

She thought, _"Does he really still desire someone as me? What could I have that he desires so much?"_

Veldoran joins her. He looks on before saying, "He must have you distracted too easily."

Kayleth refocuses on her face and says, "Max is showing more unusual signs than before his trip to the warp. Do you not see his change?"

Elenwe telepathically disagrees, "The journey he made to the warp has not altered him nor has it changed his ways. Max didn't show any new features in his attitude. It is you he has changed."

Kayleth gasps a little, but Veldoran agrees, "There is much that he will only share with you; he won't tell anyone else but his own kind. If you want to find out anything, it is best to ask him."

The rest of the trip back to the imperial fortress leaves the elder focused yet relaxed. Many howling banshees take time to read on ancient text long remembered by their craft world. As the imperial guard welcomes back the heroes of the ork battles, Lucas and Lina issue out orders for everyone to follow before they can relax. Lina sends her tech priests to modify and repair any vehicles; many of the machine spirits suffer greatly, but it gives the experts of machine time to keep testing their abilities. Lucas orders his troops to keep up their patrols and scouting routes throughout the land. Even with the orks fighting among each other, the opportunity for an ork war boss appearing is still high. With the imperial forces busy and at work, Lina and Lucas find a quiet spot to embrace each other heavily. Max does what he can to keep his allies away from the commotion on hand by taking on orders from officers, reinforcing areas with more guns, and boosting up the fire power. Nothing else keeps his mind and body aware than assisting where he can.

The eldar keep their ways once they arrive at their camp; Veldoran relaxes his warp powers as the new barriers keep their camp well secure. He instructs his lesser warlock acolytes on the ways of channeling the warp energy. The dire avengers and guardians keep their base heavily watched as they teleport through trees. The bushes provide little cover for them; however, an ork would only be interested in a bush if the object shines as bright as they do. Wraithseer Elenwe takes her place in the center of the eldar camp. She lets her mind and spirit flow through the area as the peaceful setting reminds her of nicer days. Many eldar marvel at how amazing Elenwe is. No longer possessing a physical eldar body, the farseer shines every so bright. In their own hubris, the eldar believe that even She Who Thirsts cannot harm them as strong as Elenwe is. As he cleans up his gun and bids his fellow guardsmen goodnight, Carl opens his small hut to encounter Shelia of the howling banshees.

Carl says, "You are more interested in humans than most of your kin is."

Shelia replies, "I find you interesting to learn of. You can be inspiring despite the history our two species have."

Carl welcomes her into his place. They share their stories of war, battle, friends, and allies. Though the two may show more friendship than anyone around them, others advise them both to not give into their urges. With the work in the imperial fortress carefully handled, Max takes his leave to the exit. He walks with his mind filled with questions of what is to come now. He counts and looks back to see how far he has come; Max started off as a mere no one on Saneesh. Now, he commands with authority over the imperial guardians. As he walks to the cliffs in the east, Max stops suddenly. Max pulls his sword and weapon out. The cloaking suit drops and reveals a lone female. She wears heavily gear; he snarls at her and threatens her with death. The silent woman takes two steps forward and speaks with Max.

She says, "The Sons of Malice welcome you. You are as I am. My power is great. Your power will ensure that Malice will defeat the Dark Ones."

As the woman offers her hand, Max cuts it. It instantly heals as she leaps back. The woman disappears from his sight. He didn't understand. As he Max turns about to see who is in the area, Kayleth appears before him mad and annoyed.

She says, "You dare endanger our alliance by speaking to the enemy. What did she want with you?"

Before Max can speak, he sees the flame of Khaine burn slowly from within her. Her rage would signal the rest of the base if he didn't calm her.

Max carefully says, "I do not know what she wants. All that is certain is she speaks for the Sons of Malice. She believes I will help them; however, I highly doubt a blank can help a deity of the warp."

Kayleth relaxes her anger and says, "And when were you going to inform any of us? Would it be after you travel alone to a dangerous area to die?"

Max looks at her with a confused look; Kayleth realizes she over step her words. She backs away and tries to leave to cover her shameful approach. Max reaches for her only for her hand and stops her from leaving. The hard breathing comes back to her; she feels uncomfortable as he gets closer to her. Kayleth moves back quickly and only to feel her warp power slipping away. Max steps to her one last time and looks at her. Could it be? Max sees her blushing if he can see it; she breathes harder than ever.

He says, "You are worried about me. Why?"

Kayleth stumbles over her words, "I was only looking out for your…dealings with the enemy. And you still are a threat to any eldar. And I am not worried about you."

Max finally smirks and says, "Well, at least your worrying does mean you care about what happens to me in your own way."

Before she can reply, he says, "If it means anything to you, I was only giving you the space you wanted since I have been around you so much. For the last few times, I was worried about you too and didn't want anything else to happen to you Kayleth. When I told you those words long ago, I meant it. Yes, it was not the right time to leave you like that, but I had to leave it. And now, you can't shake the feeling it has on you. As long as you are alive, everything will be fine. I understand you want to remain strong and are not ready to talk about us yet. I just want you to remember I am here for you."

Max walks pass to head back to the imperial fortress; Kayleth calls to him.

She says, "Why did you feel the need to love me?"

As they turn to face each other, Max surprises Kayleth with an unusual touch. He rushes up to her before she can react; he locks his arms around her and grips her lower half firmly. She gasps hard from the surprise and feels as if her soul will leap from her body.

He says, "Well, if I am going to love you, then everything must be protected at times."

Max lets her go and walks away from her. Before he can get far, a warp sphere of fire is flown pass him. It smashes into the land; he turns around to see her shine in bright red-orange as the spirit of Khaine rises from her. Her irises are small flames and her skin burns with intense heat. Max tries to speak, but no words going through her ears.

Kayleth roars, "I did not allow you to do that!"

The eldar autarch sprints at Max ready to crush him. He quickly moves away with his abilities enhancing his speed. He rushes up on her and locks her hands with his. Though his ability can nullify warp powers, he sees more of her warp energy pour out. He tries to speak again; Kayleth leaps into the air and turns her body in a cork screw form. Max loses his grip on her hands. As he tries to anticipate her next move, her fist crushes the left side of his face. Kayleth sends Max staggering back. As Max increases his power, their fight becomes intense. At the imperial fortress, Lucas and Lina look to the east. Like before, their eldar allies join their side to watch.

Veldoran says, "Your human friend Max is highly weird as you put it. And he still wants her."

Lucas agrees, "Yes, he is unusual, but they seem to be working on their cooperation."

Lina smirks, "He did something to bring that side of her out; I do hope he recalls our want to not be burned away."

Elenwe tries to send a message to Kayleth. Nothing goes through. As the four turn away, they return to their duty. Max and Kayleth finish up their duel. Her warp energy exhausted and Max unable to barely stand.

Kayleth says, "Why? Why do you seek the need to give me unpleasant thoughts? Why do you want to hold me so much?"

Max laughs happily, "I am happy you still can be mad and on fire. I only did that because I knew it would cause you to flare up. More importantly, you are worried about me more than usual. I understand your need to be a warrior and leader for your people. I understand the urge to not feel such things for me since you show me that you are not ready for any of it; however, I do want you to remember why I do it."

She begs to know the answer. Instead of words, Max smiles and walks away as though none of their fighting has occurred. Kayleth wants to be mad at him; she can feel the rage of her power boiling over. Once Max looks back, he calls to her. He even issues a severe warning to her that involves similar matters as before. Though exhausted from the warp drain, Kayleth shows that such a moment will not happen again. She leaps through a portal and leaves Max to journey back to the fortress. Far in the east on the small island, the same silent woman of Malice looks on and sees the damage the eldar commander can do. As she journeys through her own portal, the silent woman appears among her equals. They express no words of concern. Only the feast of what is to come begins now. She walks with her equals down the corridor of a ship; many daemons of Khorne and servants of Nurgle stand ready to join their dark associates in battle against the enemy. As they journey to the helm of the ship, they hear the screams of victims begging for death.

The walk to the helm is a long one. As they continue to journey, space marines of Malice join them on their dark travel. Many bring their recruits and initiates along for the start of their ceremonies. Everyone that joins the traveling group is silent. None of the initiates dare speak a word or utter a syllable. Once the journey is completed, the group joins with the rest of the dark brothers who serve Malice faithfully. All around their heads, they are given a banquet of great honor. The center of the helm houses victims of the great honor the Sons of Malice enjoy each centaury. As the high ranking officers order their initiates to stand at various areas through pointing, the leader of this dark gathering takes his stand at the top. At his right side, the dark psyker swallows a goblet of red liquid to cool his body. He uses his warp power to pull up a tasty treat to sink his teeth in; the psyker brings honor to chapter as he displays the new victims high above their heads. To the left side, the silent woman awaits to receive the nod from her superior. With a gesture of his head, she walks forward and openings to gathering with the promise of power.

She says, "We stand here today stronger than before. Our victims lay before us upon the floor. We, the followers of Malice, stand united in the face of our enemies. The daemons of the Blood God beg to spill blood in his name, but Khorne will not receive any drops. He will be denied any claim to skulls; the servants of Nurgle look to find ways to spread the word of their master. They shall not have a place to fester and rot. The diseases of the Plague God will not even begin to spread; Slaanesh seeks to see the entire galaxy drown in pain, but the pleasure that everyone desires will not satisfy their nerves. The Pleasure God will never see any more followers asking for her fruits. He will die a hag and be worthless in the eyes of all. The strings of fate and destiny keep being pulled by the Weaver of Destiny; however, Tzeentch will not control our fate any more. We have cut our strings free and control our own destiny. Our time has come. This feast before us is our gift to you all. Welcome to the Sons of Malice. Our true God of Chaos will lead us to victory over the dark ones. Even the corpse Emperor of Mankind shall no longer be able to stand against our might. Join us in this feast. Become a follower of the truth we seek. Let the galaxy burn."

Just below everyone, a large hole opens up to reveal the victims. Many still cry in pain from their wounds. Others do what they can to patch up their cuts. Orks. Humans. Tau. The species didn't matter to the Sons of Malice; the space marines of Malice remove their helmet and lick their lips. The initiates reveal their teeth and drool with delight. The followers feel their stomach growl. Every victim looks up and sees them move in. A man tries to strike at the space marine and the man gets his arm broken before chewed on. A person tries to push another in front of the enemy. The followers of Malice fall on them and begin to tear away their flesh. An ork tries to fight back despite its wounds. Five initiates of Malice eat away at the ork slowly. One by one, the screams of the helpless fill the helm. Each person looks upon themselves being devoured by their enemy. No one is spared; not a single body is left intact. All feast on the living as a treat for themselves. Those that eat hearty are given the rank of initiate. Other are granted the rank of soldier for the space marine. In the end, the blood crazed maniacs smile and praise the return of Malice. For each time the Dark Ones are denied their want, the Renegade God laughs in the distant space of reality.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _They say in the heart of every person lies more secrets than any closet can hold. As the Sons of Malice keep their actions hidden, more doors to their activities will be shared. The horizon for the alliance is still showing many secrets left for them to discover._

 **Chapter 3: Section 3 – 1**

The sun creeps over the horizon; all manner of darkness slowly fades away from the open fields and grass. The rays of sun shine at the tall, glass tower; it slowly charges up the solar panels of the imperial fortress. From the tower, the energy goes to various houses and factories. The very same solar power is used to power up the street lights, sensors, and motion detectors when ready for night time. A single skitarii awakens to the sound of his alarm; he jumps to his feet and climbs the stairs of his own personal tower. The same sun rays shine into his glass mirror. He directs the light to the next tower and picks up his small hammer. With a strike against the glass, the rays send a flicker of light to the next tower; each strike is used as signal to alert others. The same method follows to each tower as each skitarii person rings their glass. Once done, the same light harvested from the sun travels into the lower region of the towers. Many imperial citizens receive the same flash of flickering light. The light shines in their face and the solar alarms softly ring; they wake up to start their morning. It didn't take long before the ringing of the large tower to awaken every single citizen. Many wash their face; some brush their teeth. The food is being cooked or warmed up. The start of a new day brings them all a promise of a new war or challenge to face. Can such peace last? None can tell, but every man, woman, and child enjoy what time they can before faced with war.

The ringing of the tower is heard in their own home. They feel so comfortable in the bed; the softness of the bed makes it hard for them both to get up from. A set of clothes hang on a chair. There are pieces of technology and metal resting on the desk. They both are tired from their long days of war. The ringing is still heard from the towers to alert even the lazy bunch that time for leisure is over. As he opens his eyes, he groans in annoyance that the sun is up. He looks over at his clock and realizes that duty calls at dawn; he turns his view to the beautiful woman under his arms. Most of her body is made of machine and metal; the metal in her features didn't bother him what so ever. The heart of his lover is still pure as the blessing he gives each day. He holds her tight to feel her metal ribs against his. Her exposed brain on her left skull didn't bother him the slightest. If anything, he squeezes her harder. When faced with xenos like the orks, necrons, or tau, he sees pass her features with such ease. Before he can reach anywhere else, a metal tentacle shows him a message. He chuckles under his breath and looks down to see her beautiful eyes open. Lucas always did enjoy to see Lina smile; she still finds is hard to believe it at times.

Lucas says, "I wasn't going to reach anywhere else too fast. Plus, I rather you be completely awake to see it all than let your technology deny me any fun with you."

Lina props herself on top of him, "I know your mind more than you think. As for your intentions, please keep them on hold until we deal with the affairs of today. I am sure Max is already ahead of us and giving out orders."

They embrace each other with a kiss before they get out of bed. It didn't take her long to reattach her metal tools; Lucas easily dresses himself. They share one last kiss before they head out the door to face the challenges. Max is found sending out orders and information to everyone. The duo joins their eager friend and he welcomes his two friends with interesting news.

Max says, "I am glad that the bed didn't keep you both down. We have something to look into; a small device was left at the entrance of our camp. It was an unexpected gift."

The three head to the command center with so much to speak of. As they see everyone else mobilize around them, they keep their mind focused on the matters at hand. The Techno Woman pulls up the fortress statics by wrist. The Lord General Militant looks over reports.

Lucas says, "I see you seem to be glad for what we face next."

Max replies, "No, not really. The fact that this gift comes to us surprises me. Plus, it is a little concerning."

Lina asks, "What is the device made of? And who sent it?"

The mention of the corrupt space marines of Malice puts them both on the same page with Max. The trio arrives in the command center to discover that the device is still function if only a short time. Lucas nearly vomits at the sight of it; Lina finds it repulsive. The Sons of Malice sent an ork head to them with some function left of the beast. Though lacking a body, the head still moves. The soldiers step back as Max approaches the head. With a flick of the ear, electricity travels through the head. The ork chief head can barely speak the message.

It says, "Da dark humies go to da next planet. You bezt ta follow dem if ya don't want ta lose it."

The ork head violently shakes before it explodes. The flesh and metal splatter the walls and room. Lina leaves out to contain herself and Lucas finds a bucket to let his bodily fluids in. Max cleans the filth from his clothes. Once the three compose themselves, they take to counsel with each other on what they are now facing; they gather together with their commanding officers. A handful of company captains to join them in the great hall. Though the eldar are absent, it would not take them long to join their journey should they wish it; many talk of what is going on. From Imperial Guardian Captains to the Imperial Guard ranking officers, the room is filled with questions. Max opens the gathering with the message and reports.

He says, "Our last few months and year has been faced with nothing but the savageness of ork hordes. Each time we take down their numbers, the more they seem to replenish what we destroy. Every war boss Lucas and Lina have eliminated has earned them more than just a few words of praise. The orks are endless as they should be; however, they are no longer a concern we face. Since my last encounter with the orks, we now face a threat that makes the dark forces of chaos seem weaker. The enemy we now face claims it is here to not only stop the other dark ones, but they challenge us as well. Based on the field reports from myself and Lucas, the new threat we now face is more dangerous than orks. They are the space marines of Malice; the story of this dark deity does not matter. They intend to bring the being into real-space. Once they have done that, there may be no stopping them. Captains of the Imperial Guardians and Officers of the Imperial Guardsmen. We face this new threat; we must stop it before they work their evil on everyone."

An officer speaks up, "Are you mad, Noble One? This is not some group of renegade men and women. Nor is this group a bunch of damned heretics let alone xeno filth. These are space marines; they are former space marines of the imperium that have long been in battle more than any of us in a life time. To challenge them would bring doom to us. Such an army of warriors can't be beaten."

Before Max can reply, Lina interrupts, "How dare you speak with such impurity? Do you lack the back bone to face a space marine? We have faced down the wrath of dark eldar from the shadows. We battled the vicious orks on three planets and even broken the back of daemons from the warp that dare to stand against us. Why do we stand here today? We stand here because we are the imperial guardians and imperial guard of the Emperor of Mankind. Would you dare run away now knowing that the Primarch of the Ultramarines is fighting a war against impossible odds?"

The man silences his complaints. A second officer voices her issues.

She says, "The fear of facing space marines is real. None of us dare deny that we are not ready to challenge inhuman beings. Rather instead, let us go towards a nearby chapter of loyal space marines and speak with the chapter master. By words of honor and duty alone, we will gain the support of their bolters and weapons to combat the enemy. Even with what we face now, I fear that our best chances of survival rest on acquiring more help."

Max tries to counter her words, but Lucas answers, "To wander into space marine territory loyal to the emperor is to invite more harm onto ourselves and our home. I am not space marine, but I know they guard their secrets like a pot of riches. You would dare go to them and beg for their help? To speak to even a chapter master is to invite more than just the inquisition down on us. To say that a renegade chapter of space marines are present is to condemn us in their eyes. And should we undertake this endeavor, what is to become of our home world if we return too late? Would you rather sacrifice Saneesh to the silent army of Malice?"

The woman lowers her head in sadness and looks upon her family picture.

A new officer speaks up, "If we are to not go to the space marines for assistance, what of the inquisition? Instead of pursing after these Sons of Malice, let us inform the high branch of power of what we face. Surely they can lend us the aid we seek. Plus, we are not just the average soldiers of war. We may gain more support and power to do more than face this threat."

Max looks around to all. Only one person speaks out against the issue of involving the inquisition.

Carl of the Imperial Guardians replies, "The inquisition has their own methods for dealing with matters like this. I have seen it first-hand myself long before I joined the ranks of Commander Vance the Bright. A friend of mines once had knowledge of the enemy. He and I agreed to share what we knew to an inquisitor. Before I had the chance to join him, he went ahead; I never saw him again. Suddenly, the next week is when all that changed for me. The entire planet we were stationed on had to be evacuated. The last image of the world I remember seeing was on fire. The inquisition had condemned half a million souls to oblivion to save five billion others. At that moment, I nearly damned the inquisition for their harsh verdict. So, tell me sir. Do you really want to involve them in our plan to face the Sons of Malice? What else shall we tell them? That we fought them on Saneesh? That the eldar are our allies in secret? What else do you believe we should show to the inquisition of the imperium?"

The man silences his voice only to think of what his actions. A second woman interrupts the gathering with her own concerns.

She proudly says, "This talk of what to do next or how to handle the matter is as easy as turning our hands. We face the threat like we have before and do not require the aid of any other individuals to assists us. When Commander Vance brought us to this region of space, we faced orks by the thousands. When we learned of the dark eldar, we obliterated them with ease. When half of our company turned against us, we halt the spread. When more heretics came forth, we denied them additional followers. Even the eldar beg for our assistance against the evils we face when none else would stand against it. Lord General Militant Lucas Turner has opened the path to us. Noble One Max Johnson has shown us the strength we have. The Blessed Techno Woman Lina restores our machines to their fully capabilities. We have no other choice but to go forward and face the enemy as before."

Max, Lucas, and Lina are overcome with such high praise until she steps from the shadows. Her closest warlock and friend join the center floor and voice their own truth.

Kayleth turns to the woman and says, "The eldar may have required your aid before, but this is a battle that can't be won through sheer fire power alone. When we came to Saneesh, we thought the same as you do. In our own thoughts, we believe that the war against Rela and her dark eldar would easily fall to us. Instead, we learned to remember why friends are better than pawns."

Veldoran adds, "And are you not the same imperial guardian trooper that was saved multiple times from danger by our warp spider? I do recall a battle that you fought in on Ragnar before the warp swallowed it. A warp spider saw the need to save you from death against a vicious ork that nearly took your head as a gift of war. You state that your imperial army stands alone yet you and the eldar work together so well. Will you dare stand-alone against the threat knowing your life can be saved again?"

The woman hushes her words as more eldar emerge from warp portals to join the gathering. It didn't take long for everyone to be comfy around each other and share what they are deciding to do. The meeting ends with an agreement that both sides would ensure. The imperial army and eldar force would go to the ice world; they will make certain it is secure from the Sons of Malice. As the forces of order prepare for the journey to the ice world, they take a few moments to make sure their weapons are upgraded. Though the eldar believe their weapons are effective, Kayleth urges each group to sharpen and improve on them as best as they can. The battle on Saneesh may have ended, but the war against the Malice's followers would continue.

 **Chapter 3: Section 3 – 2**

They all look from the monitors to view the home they made. It shines so bright that it makes many sad to be away from it. The life of an imperial soldier is to die where he or she is sent to wage war at; many hope to return back to Saneesh to spend the rest of their life there, but a few don't want to go. The people driving them forward into battle are Lina, Lucas, and Max; their leadership may have been on rocky roads, but this time the war is coming to them like never before. Lina spends her time keeping her tech priests and skitarii legions focusing on repairs. They attend to their weapons, upgrading their guns, and enhancing their tech skills to keep each machine spirit blessed. At the gun range on deck four, several skitarii squads challenge the snipers of the guardsmen to test their new improvements. The imperial guardsmen boast that no skitarii member will do better than their own. The skitarii calculate and analyze that their skills have improved beyond normal minds. With each side praising and counting their chances of being a better shooter, the fourth deck stays active. Only the members of the imperial guardians train differently from the vast majority of people.

A punch to the face sends the man staggering backwards. He gets grabbed and thrown to the hard floor. As Lucas watches the men be surrounded by the crowd, he only complains when a horrible move is made. Harsh in his words, Lucas honors and praises those that pour their heart out into battle. The man stands up from the punch; Carl is heard shouting to his rookie fighter to keep a watchful eye on the arms. The man rushes at his opponent; he manages to tackle him down and crush his fist on his face. The big man stands back up and counters his move with a hard swing to the left. The rookie ducks the first punch; however, he didn't count on the second fist to crash into his ribs. The pain is too great that the rookie falls; Carl shakes his head in disappointment at the rookie. Lucas halts the fight and steps in the center to honor the grand performance.

Lucas takes a bucket of water and throws it on the rookie, "Soldiers of the imperium! This is what is to be expected during battle. When a man or woman gives the enemy all their might and lies on the ground exhausted, there is no greater glory to embrace. To be able to hold back the enemy before giving your life, any can truly obtain the blessing of the emperor. Who else is ready to face the unknown evils of the galaxy and die giving their all?!"

The roar of the imperial guardians and nearby guardsmen echoes all around. They stand united and can't wait to battle any followers of Malice. At the top of the ship on deck one, Max keeps his thoughts active when he can. He reads over old reports, supply caches, and weapon improvements. The enemy they face leave him concern; a personal matter concerns him more than ever. His sighs catch the attention of Lina as she enters the area. She approaches him and nudges his arm.

She says, "Out of all the things you have faced, your thoughts are of elsewhere. What seems to trouble you?"

Max answers, "The Sons of Malice give me a doubtful feeling. They fight as though they are guided by an unseen force. I feel that my own abilities will not be enough to protect everyone."

Lina smirks and adds, "Or do you mean to protect her?"

Max shakes his arms and tries to walk away.

Lina stops him, "It is alright. I won't tell too much of what I know, but I do see how much you are trying to show her. Give it time; she is a warrior before she can love you. For her, love is a scary feeling. At times, it be an interesting thing. For the eldar like her, it may be something terrifying."

She takes her leave and goes back to work. As Max thinks on her words, the face of Kayleth does bring him happiness. Despite how strong and proud she is, Max believes that he can have something with her if only she allows it. As the War Harbinger continues to remain active, the Faded Light remains at peace on the inside. None of the eldar move around so much. Only the bone singers craft additional improvements on the ship. Thanks to the ideas of Lina, the eldar vessel operates at a higher efficiency more than before. Elenwe allows her soul to magnify the vessel; her very spirit sends out warp energy to her kin and relaxes them. The thin blue and yellow lights swirl together and soothe every warrior aboard the vessel. Veldoran meditates in his vast chamber with the fellow warlocks and warp casters. The warp energy flows around them and relaxes their nerves, awareness, and body. For the first time since the fall of the eldar, the species feels whole. Only Kayleth keeps herself mobile and ready. She tries her best to keep her thoughts at peace. More and more does she find herself thinking of her allies and her kin being put at risk. Instead of clouding her mind with thoughts of danger, she remains at ease until they reach the ice world.

Once the allied ships arrive in the orbit above the ice world, they smile at the sight of how well the area has improved. With every screen flashing and showing the image, everyone looks at the space station hanging before their eyes. Most of the lower half is unfinished and still under construction. The top half is set up for the War Harbinger to land safely at. Aboard the human ship, Lina jumps and screams with joy to see that the station has been fully operational for defense. Every tech priest and skitarii member praises the Omnissiah for blessing them with the means to construct a masterpiece. The eldar look on with some amazement. The station is impressive to the humans; the eldar look at it only to scoffs at how ugly it looks uncompleted. A vox message comes to the ship. Kayleth is joined by Veldoran to hear what is being sent to them.

Lina says, "I know it is not suited for your vessel, but I did make sure they have a way for you to dock at the station as well. Guide your ship just above the station."

Kayleth and Veldoran cautiously accept the invite. The Faded Light heads upward and stops just above the space station. A beam of light surrounds the ship. The eldar feel the ship lock in place. Veldoran contacts the War Harbinger to demand an immediate explanation for what is happening.

Max hails their frequency and answers, "It would seem that the people here had the chance to use technology that can accommodate your war vessel. For now, you can trust Lina and her ability to keep any machine functional."

Kayleth replies, "It may help us, but we prefer to keep our base mobile. We will only use it when we desire to do so."

Lina sends words as fast as possible for the beam of light to release the eldar ship. Once free, the eldar relax a little easier, but many show signs of concern. If Lina and her tech teams found a way to capture the eldar vessel, then they see them as a future threat.

Wraithseer Elenwe awakens and steps from her chamber; she shrieks in pain and alerts the eldar to her suffering. Many warp spiders teleport to her location and begin to groan in pain; Veldoran and his warlocks fall to their knees in pain as well. The entire eldar ship sends out a massive wave of warp energy that shakes the space station and War Harbinger. Max, Lucas, and Lina try to raise a call to their allies. Instead of a vox message, several portals open aboard the War Harbinger on different levels. The eldar pour through in great numbers seeking shelter. Elenwe falls through the portal exhausted and barely standing. Her size knocks over a few crates and barrels on deck four. On the main deck, Kayleth holds Veldoran and pulls him to stand. Once the eldar are through, each portal closes.

Lucas says, "Well if you all wanted to join our ship, you could have said so before or just ask."

Veldoran groans slightly but answers, "We are here for a reason. Something attacks the Faded Light and pierced through the ship. It assaulted us badly until we came here."

Lina asks, "Do you have any idea what it was?"

He says, "No, but Elenwe is hurt from the warp power used and our ship is a threat to us as long as we are on it. We may need you to use the beam from your station on it."

Kayleth begins to scream in agony. Several others aboard the ship howl in pain. In a blind rage of hurt, Kayleth slowly lets her wrath overcome her. She begins to let the flame of Khaine burn around the top deck of the ship. The people and staff begin to back up from her until Max steps to her; he uses his blank powers to keep the warp flames from spreading. Kayleth opens her eyes to see Max holding her; she looks up feeling weak and unable to move.

He whispers to her, "It is alright. I am here for you."

She quickly pushes him off and replies, "I don't need your help Max. I only wish to know who that was attacking us."

A voice broadcasts itself all over the War Harbinger. The unknown person speaks of their doom.

He says, "Greetings, eldar of craft world Alaitoc. I am glad you have come to the ice world of Friga. It has been ages since your kind have been out to this edge of the galaxy. And you even convinced the humans of the imperium to follow you. They won't do you any good against us."

Lucas demands, "Where are you? Show yourself, vile man!"

He continues, "Where I am is none of your concern. All you need to remember is that I am here on the surface of Friga waiting for you. The eldar was my only problem to face. Now, I am far more powerful than they are. If they brought mere humans to face me, then this will be all too easy for me to obtain victory. For now, I want you all to hold onto the thought of what I bring upon you. I want to see your eyes close as I lay you to rest. I…"

The unknown man feels a void feeling aboard the War Harbinger. The eldar stop groaning in pain and feel a cold shudder; no longer did they suffer from the pain in their mind. Instead, they feel cold. Max lets his unchecked blank abilities stretch all over the ship and cover everyone with a sheet of protection. The voice tries to break the hold of this void feeling and roars with an inhuman shout. Max causes the roaring to stop.

He says, "What…are…you…?"

Max replies, "I am the one who can't hear your words of fear. I will be the one who steps to you and show you that I am the light."

The voice pulls away in disgust and horror. As Max calms himself down, everyone looks to him. The powers of his blank abilities have gotten stronger than ever; no one can measure the full strength of what they can do. They all can safely assume that his power is strong enough to frighten a psyker of Malice. Maybe he is stronger than the psyker himself; Max tries to explain, but he pulls himself away from everyone. With him no longer present on the bridge, everyone is amazed yet conflicted about Max. Not once did he show his abilities and powers as a blank has improved greatly until now. It is a mystery of great surprise to all.

One person says, "The cold feeling is never easy to get adjusted with."

A second person adds, "That voice is more afraid of Max than anything we know."

Before anyone else speaks, Lucas says, "That is enough from all of you; Max isn't a threat to us nor will he turn his powers on us. If anything, he saved us from a force that is now on guard because of him. All of you return to your duties and remain aware of the eldar. They share the ship with us until things go better."

As Veldoran and Kayleth make a recovery, they along with Lina stand with Lucas. They still find themselves surprised that Max put a powerful psyker on the defensive. Lina checks for any physical damage as they all speak of the present challenge.

Veldoran says, "Max didn't even fear this individual when he spoke. He is stronger than ever. Is there anything else you can tell us about your friend? How did this happen?"

Lucas replies, "I didn't know he was stronger than the last time he used his blank powers on the enemy. In the beginning, he frightened the daemon he face on Saneesh. Now, he is putting a psyker on his back legs. Max never told us of anything his abilities can do. He may have given a great daemon to fear him, but this is new. What did Max share with you Lina?"

Lina ends her scans and says, "I still did not get a reading from Max about what his powers are like. The most he has is just a physical fit and that is it."

The three look at Kayleth with some interest that causes her disgust.

She says, "What makes you believe I did anything to him for his unnatural power to become strong enough to drive back a psyker?"

Veldoran asks, "What were your last few training sessions like between you two?"

Kayleth replies, "I only tested his endurance, his skill, and his ability to stay alert for any surprises. Nothing else showed. If anything, he may have kept this from us. Not once did he use that much nor was it freezing cold."

Lina suggests, "Maybe instead of his physical character, your distant between each other causes them to be more than they should. Being as you are an eldar, your psyker gene causes his blank gene to strengthen more each time he uses it around or on anyone of the warp."

Kayleth turns to Lina, "That can't be true. Most of his abilities happen on reflex at times during battle. He may have used it since the warp flows around him so easily and can't harm him. From one of my other kin, a blank can easily cause damage to any psyker be it mental or other. He probably got stronger after his trip into the warp with the daemon."

Lucas raises an eye brow and says, "Or maybe it is you. Maybe the fact he saw you hurting caused him to be stronger for you. Unless it was…"

Kayleth nearly draws her sword at Lucas, "That has never happened and it certainly isn't the cause of his growth."

Veldoran suggestions, "Then, maybe you need to talk with him. Instead of wasting time ignoring him and whatever you feel, speak with him. His words may give us more insight to his abilities and anything else he can do."

She ignores and declines on the opportunity until Elenwe telepathically contacts her.

Elenwe says, "You must speak with Max. Our enemy is powerful, but he can be defeated. Max's power is the key to stopping this psyker."

Kayleth groans in frustration; Lina and Lucas look at her only for Veldoran to say, "It is alright. Our Wraithseer Elenwe has given her the same advice I would. I may not know what they have spoken of, but it is enough to convince her. We will remain here and leave you to your work."

Kayleth leaves out the door by web way portal and arrives on the second deck; she crushes her fist into a wall. The impact is slightly deep. Her frustration to speak with Max always leads to something she is not ready to experience. Her life as a warrior only demands that she stays focused, ready, and able. Even with her code of honor, none of it says anything about preparing to deal with the idea of sharing time with a foolish _mon-keigh_. As she goes to find Max, Kayleth comes across eldar feeling too anxious and hostile aboard the human vessel; the humans try to welcome them, but it is no easy attempt. Many eldar leap into a portal and head towards Wraithseer Elenwe to focus their mind. As a few imperial guardians welcome Kayleth, she asks for the direction of where Max is at. They guide her with directions down the hall to his private residence. Each step aboard the War Harbinger reeks of oil, metal, and sweat. The air is annoying her sense of smell; the eldar try to keep their minds sharp and ready. Despite the new zones they occupy, the eldar try to be civil with their allies. Kayleth finds her journey to the residence of Max an annoying one to take. Once she arrives, she stops at his door and breathes quickly. Her thoughts begin to race in her head as she goes over what to say to him.

She thought, _"Are you ok? No, no that is not good. I am showing too much care if I ask him that. How are you feeling? No, that can't be what I want to ask him. I need a more direct question. What did you experience against the psyker? How did you manage to fight him off?"_

As Kayleth slows her breathing and sighs heavily, she pushes on his door. It slides open easily and she enters the room with eyes looking everywhere.

 **Chapter 3: Section 3 – 3**

A stack of papers sit on the bar and clothes are laid on the couch. At the desk, a monitor of the ship is shown with various papers next to it. There is a kitchen full of activity that catches her eyes. The living quarters are not what she expects; Kayleth was thinking to find a messy and dirty environment with more stains all around. Instead, she sees a clean place and is slightly comfortable with sitting down. As she looks into the kitchen, she sees a pot boiling. Kayleth removes the lid and inhales the interesting smell of the soup. At glance, she figured the place would be smaller and only fit for one person. Max's personal quarters are meant for sharing time with a few other people.

She thought, _"This soup has an amazing smell. I wonder what he has put into the pot."_

Max says, "I always figured you would want to settle down and cook in a kitchen. I don't think a human kitchen will be enough for you. You may wanna first see if you can live with me for a few months together."

She covers the lid and sharply replies, "The only way I am going to live with you is if you…"

She pauses in mid-sentence and shakes her head in disappointment. Instead of finding Max covered for the conversation, she slowly allows her rage to show. The last image she needed was that going through her head; she whispers words and prays that she can un-see the image.

Kayleth blocks her eyes and says, "If you can't talk right now, I can always speak with you when you are less revealing in certain areas, Max."

Max scoffs at her and answers, "Last I recall, I live here and can be as relaxed as I can be in my own establishment. If my unique feature bothers you, then you are not the warrior suited for such things."

She grinds her teeth in rage and removes her arm from her eyes. Kayleth says, "I am a warrior of Alaitoc first before I am a…"

He interrupts, "A lady in waiting for her desire to be fulfilled."

Kayleth lets her warp energy shake the room; she nearly allows the flame to burst and looks at Max with fury. She approaches him; he begins to laugh. Unsure as to what is funny, Kayleth asks him.

Max says, "I only did it because you actually look amazing for some reason. Maybe it is the shower I had, the voice of that unknown person caused it, or even I am just happy to see you."

She pulls back and asks, "Why Max? Why would you be happy to see me when I am not…"

He interrupts and covers his body, "When you are here, I can forget about why we are fighting the bad guys if only for a short time. Do you not see it? I may be a blank, but an eldar psyker is standing beside me as though she isn't afraid of me. But, I am sure you have questions, so what is it you want to know?"

As he walks to her, she lets her warp energy spark out from her. Though unsure as to what to say, she feels the unusual experience come to her. Kayleth tries to reach for her blade, but Max stops her from doing so; she tries to allow the flame of Khaine to erupt from within her soul. Instead, Max nullifies her warp powers. He pushes her back against the counter. She is unable to move as fast as she would like. Instead of harming her or touching her inappropriately, Max closes the space between them. Kayleth feels her heart rate beat faster ever. Her emotions begin to strike at her differently. Max is too close that she can't move elsewhere. His blank abilities have caused her warp powers to stop completely. Before she can reply, he speaks to her differently. Instead of thinking of the questions to ask, Kayleth now finds herself wanting to leave.

Max keeps the gap close and says, "I understand you are nervous and are not ready to ask me anything; I am making you uncomfortable and causing you to breathe harder than before. Yes, I know you will be mad and want to break a hole in the ship after this moment ends. I just want you to know that every time you are still worth it. So, when you are ready to try, do not hold back. Let me guide you through this unshaken. Let me be the sword that guards your soul from evil. More importantly, do not be afraid of what I want us to have. Be it a sword at my neck or an axe to my heart, I want you to be ready for this."

Kayleth shakes slightly and prays Max won't harm her in any way. She is calm yet nervous; she is ready and afraid. With one final step to her, a sudden warp burst launches out from Kayleth. The energy sends ripples through the ship; the War harbinger slightly experiences a shortage of power before booting back up. Every human aboard the ship sends out an alert. All the eldar stand at peace. None can explain what has happen save only Veldoran and Elenwe. As Kayleth looks into his eyes, she feels something that can't be explained away with words. Kayleth still breathes quick and feels her soul is a risk with him. With one last push against her body, Kayleth completely inhales heavy with a gasp. There is no space between them; she is not in danger. He just looks at her with eyes of hope. Max pulls away from her and sees her slowly exhales. He pulls back more from her and lets her go. He waits for her questions to begin; she is dumbstruck as to what happen. Max understands he overstep and opens the way out of his room. Without a second pause, Kayleth quickly leaves out; she lets her quick breathing return. Kayleth looks at him puzzled; she doesn't move an inch. Max chuckles a little and reminds her to be the warrior she always has been. She tries to draw her blade; no matter how much rage comes up, no words can't be to spoken; she feels her heart skip a beat and leaves from his quarters. Kayleth grips her heart and feels it pound her chest. As she leaps through a portal to find a hidden spot in the warp, she hears the words come back to her again.

 _"Do not be afraid of what I want us to have. I want you to be ready for this."_

The very words shake her soul and rattle her mind. Instead of trying to find a way to block it out, she feels peaceful. Kayleth leaps out of the hidden warp portal and joins her kin on the fourth deck. Elenwe and the other eldar welcome her. Max finishes placing on his new battle armor and goes to the fourth deck; Lucas and Lina arrive a few minutes ahead of him as they make ready the imperial army to take shuttles down. Veldoran joins his warlocks as they all empower him to open a portal large enough for the eldar to travel to the surface. Instead of warp powers, Kayleth urges her kin to be brought down by shuttles. When asked why, she calmly explains that any warp power will possibly damage their ability. As the eldar leap onto the shuttles, many of them join the imperial guardians. Though more imperial guardsmen feel awkward about letting the eldar join them in the shuttles, they maintain the state of alertness. Kayleth and Veldoran board one of the nearby shuttles. She stops for a moment to see Max issue orders with other officers. Her hearts beats slightly faster, but she remembers that the mission must come first. Lucas, Max, and Lina climb inside their shuttle. As the War Harbinger continues to hold its position above the planet, the shuttles head down from orbit. The shuttles are guided to the active beacon of the foundry on Friga; the eldar stand anxious and ready to leap out as soon as they are able to.

As they break through the atmosphere of Friga, they receive a welcome like no other. It had only been barely two years since their last visit to the planet. The foundry has new walls that extend outward. Three more towers now push out as much power as they can to keep the facility going. Instead of three walls, the whole foundry has three more heavily reinforced walls. Each wall has more turrets, robotic guns, and anti-air weapons ready to fire at anything within range. Lina looks out the window opening and jumps with excitement. Lucas and Max smile to see her happy until she opens the shuttle door. They call to her and question her madness.

Lina happily replies, "This height is perfect! I get to test my new equipment!"

She jumps out of the shuttle with Lucas screaming to her. As she falls to the surface, she actives her tech. The backpack on her body reveals two small power jets extending out pass the arms. As she falls further, the second part of her device turns on. A set of glider wings shoot out from the side of the backpack; Lina glides herself into the foundry with amazing speed. As she falls inward, many people and tech priest below marvel at what they see. Lina makes a safe landing on the surface and calls to Lucas. She assures him that she is alive and well; however, she mentions that the equipment needs a new upgrade. As the shuttle door hangs open, Lucas and Max turn to each other.

Max says, "Your woman is something else. I know she is creative, but I didn't know she can be slightly off."

Lucas nods his head in agreement, "Yes, she can be something entirely different. I hope doesn't get the same sense of rage your woman has."

As the shuttles land safely inside the foundry, the troops begin to take in the sights of how well the place has grown. Many tech-priests welcome new comers to the foundry. Guardsmen from the old regiment smile at their old friends. As they share what they have learned and come across, everyone goes about their tasks. The tech-priests escort their new friends through the place. Imperial soldiers follow weapon specialists to have their lasrifle improved; each battle tank is driven to the other side of the foundry for new repairs. As Lucas and Max step around the area, they can't believe how much the place has changed. It was no longer the small iron works of a few walls. The foundry of Friga stands strong and ready to repel wave after wave of enemy armies bold enough to test their system. Lucas goes off to find Lina in the central building of the foundry. Max takes the movement to enjoy the rough breeze. If anything stayed the same on Friga, it was the cold winds. Kayleth directs her eldar to set up where they can as she walks off to examine the place. She comes across Max; he gives her a smile before trying to head in another direction.

Kayleth stutters, "I-I…I need a moment of your time, Max."

Max replies, "Meet me outside of the foundry in the southwest area. I want to show you something; it will give us time to talk."

With a look of interest coming over her face, Kayleth agrees to meet him. As the day goes by, many new marvels excite Lina beyond words. As she steps inside the central building, Lucas continues to try to find her. He rushes pass groups of soldiers issuing orders and asking for his help. Every order pass to him, Lucas shows that nothing has changed for any soldier when on a cold planet. Lucas sends more than a dozen companies to occupy the new strategic towers; he orders one thousand recruits to patrol around the foundry to familiarize the land. He lets all imperial guardians take the new recruits to their guard posts. The last handfuls of orders shift from inventory to training groups. Once he completes the last one, Lucas steps into the center of the foundry. All around him the computers buzz with information; tech-priest study data and store information for future use. As he pushes deeper into the building, Lucas hears screaming coming at him only to be tackled. He looks up to see his _Blessed Techno Woman_ embracing him with more than just her arms. Lina forgets where they are as she locks lips with him.

Lucas happily says, "Ok, Lina. You got me. I see you didn't waste any time with testing out more new technology around here."

Lina seductively replies, "Oh yes, I am glad you like my new devices for the imperial army. Not all of this is for them to see though."

As a few people laugh at the couple, Lucas reminds her to focus on what she has in mind for the next combat situation. Lina's eyes widen with joy as she drags him pass others. Lucas sees the building has grown large enough to house all sorts of technology and old information. From the pieces of ork tech to the new forms of lasrifles, Lucas sees Lina as a kid in a candy store. She pulls him to the table and borrows his gun and sword. Lucas questions the need for her taking his relics of the war.

She explains, "Exactly! These are old relics of the war you had with War Boss Bone Snappa and the dark eldar. Look at them; they are worn out, weak, and will crack after a few more battles. So, instead of keeping them dusty and having them as mementos of battle, I need to change them with this."

Lina places the sword into a thin caster filled with an unusual metal. Within three minutes of waiting, she pulls out a blade covered in a new shinny form. She tests the sword against standard metal; the sword breaks the old metal in half with a smooth cut. Lucas praises her work, but she isn't done. Lina uses her metal tentacle to raise the sword above her head. Shortly, a few shots of lighting strike the sword. As more lighting comes to the blade, Lina adds on the final touches to the sword. A piece of metal is placed on the hilt. She makes a few cuts in the sword on the blade. Lastly, she adds three more pieces of metal to the sword in the openings. Once added, the lighting picks up and strikes the sword several times. Lucas tries to pull her back until Lina uses her other tentacles to stop his movement. He questions her madness; she assures him that all will be settled. Once the lighting slows to a stop, she brings the sword down and gives it to him; Lucas looks on at his new sword of the imperium. The hilt has lighting surging through it; the blade itself shines brightly and sparks greatly. Lina guides him to a new set of metal. Though unsure about the sword, she begs him to swing it. Lucas strikes the metal stone in front of him. It breaks off a chuck of the metal. Lucas turns to his woman and smiles at her. He thanks her for the new weapon to use in battle.

Lucas says, "What else do you got that you want to share with me?"

Lina holds back the urge to show him; she brings Lucas over to the table of his new side-arm.

She says, "If you thought the sword was the first weapon I have for you, then you will love what the gun will be once I show you."

 **Chapter 3: Section 3 – 4**

An uncertain path is before any who walk down the road of damnation. Some roads lead to promises of redemption and others offer a chance for revenge. Many open the way to oblivion; the majority of uncertain journeys tend to lead a person or group of people down the road to either self-destruction or prosperity. For a former chaos psyker of Tzeentch, the path before him shows where his next targets will be at. He looks into the maw of the warp to hear the words of damnation. Former allies and daemon followers now call to feast on his soul; the seek to scatter him to the farthest side of the warp. None look to him for advice nor do they call upon his service. Even the Great Wielder of Fate looks upon him with shame and sees how his end will be. There is nothing more worthless to Tzeentch than a being whose plans are only meant to bring about destruction and no change. Once the psyker clears through the rest of the warp issues, he sees them. They walk around the foundry carelessly; a man is issuing orders for groups to walk in different area. Though he holds new weapons to use in battle, they are nothing when facing a powerful being of the warp. Beside the man, she gives out her latest weapons to the infantry of the imperial army for combat. The ideas she has in mind seem to leave others amazed; they all are nothing but play things to him and none of them can comprehend the greatness of the true master of chaos.

He looks around and sees that powerful warlocks are mediating and waiting. Instead of drawing their attention to him, he laughs at how well they can't sense his presence. This is getting too much fun for him; however, he isn't interested in what they are doing. He keeps on searching and keeps on looking until the unknown comes to him. He can't see pass this opening in the warp. It is too strong and causes him to shake. The warp itself is unable to see anything around the area. If anyone should look into the warp, they often see it stare at them back. Instead, this unknown void feeling pushes him back and scares him. The psyker of Malice stops his warp use only to grasps his head. The pain he feels from the void feeling is cold and dangerous; it nearly leaves him too weak to try again. He looks around to see a silent servant of his unit approach him. He gives the servant a letter to hurry back to his dark allies. The psyker looks back to the same area of where the void feeling comes from. He enhances his power to help him leap across the landscape with ease; he would go to the area that the void is coming from and not allow something so vicious to scare him off. Be it a human, beast, ork, eldar, or chaos daemon of the warp. Nothing will scare a psyker of Malice into running away.

In the far south western landscape, he takes a moment to enjoy the site. The landscape is blooming with grass; it was only two years ago that it happen right here. The duel of the Blank Max Johnson and Eldar Autarch Kayleth was the changing point for them. The powers of a blank overcame her newly acquired avatar of Khaine strength; the ground still has plenty of marks. Max smiles and looks down to see how well the grass has grown. The noise of a warp portal opening causes his attention and forces him to turn around. She steps forward only to greet him with a smirk and some form of interest. Max welcomes Kayleth to an old familiar site that she wonders why they are here.

Kayleth says, "You had a reason to speak with me. Why are we here?"

Max gazes at the ground, "Can you believe how long ago it was? This very site is where your power truly manifested itself within you. You were some force of warp power none didn't ever believe possible."

She walks over and demands a real answer. Before she receives one, he tries to lock his arms around her. Kayleth jumps back; Max smiles and sees that she isn't ready yet. He continues to walk ahead of her until her warp energy slightly builds. With a smirk on his face, Max turns away from her. Kayleth is ready and proudly bears her red-orange armor of Khaine as the warp power erupts from within slowly.

Kayleth says, "If you are looking to waste my time with thoughts of our duel, then you are brought me here for nothing."

He laughs and says, "I just wanted more time to be alone with you away from everyone. And as for the duel, we both know you lost to me that day."

As he figured, Kayleth lets her rage cloud her thoughts as the flames of Khaine cover her body. Before she attacks, Kayleth stops and begins to understand what Max is doing. She quiets her raging power and hides her personal thoughts until Max moves towards her. She looks away from him only to feel his hand on her shoulder. Kayleth looks into the eyes of Max; she nearly shows him how much he can make her blush even if she is upset with him. He guides her eyes to the ground. Before they can enjoy any more time of being alone, a voice calls to them.

He says, "I understand a person has needs; however, this is not the case for either of you."

They both pull out their swords and look around the area; Kayleth is anxious and Max is annoyed. They find a small dark green portal opening before their eyes. Kayleth and Max look to each other and stand ready for combat. She allows her flame of Khaine to show; Max stands ready to fire his laspistol and grips his sword. The person steps from the warp with ease. The shoes are covered with spikes and the robe is black as the darkness of night. He wields his staff as the energy of the warp sparks in the air. Around his neck, three small skulls hang loosely. A skull of a human is in the center; the skull of an ork to the left side and skull of a daemon is on the right. The shoulders are cover with a skull of an ogryn and dark eldar. Once the psyker is through, he breathes in the air of the cold world Friga. His colors are of black and white. He looks to his foes in front of him.

Kayleth stands nervous; Max sees her body twitch ever so slightly. They both didn't know what to expect from him.

He says, "Who in the name of the warp are you and why are you here?"

The psyker points to Kayleth then to Max, "I am here because of you. I am here to kill you both."

Kayleth hisses at the mad psyker, "You will not find us easy prey; I will slay you myself."

Max tries to call to her only for the psyker to block her advance with a powerful warp spell. She stumbles backwards barely holding her own. The psyker fires a powerful blast of warp energy at Max. He sees the power pass through him with no marks.

The psyker says, "You are different. It is as she said. You are the blank that will give us the power we need."

Max takes the aggressive stance, "I am more than just a blank to you."

With unnatural speed, Max forces the psyker to leap back and take the defensive guard against his charge. Before he can strike, Kayleth manages to strike the shoulder of the enemy. The psyker uses his ability to teleport to a new spot. Max rushes towards Kayleth as she looks around. She looks in his direction to feel the void feeling come over her. Max yells for her to duck down; she does so only to see him stop the strike from the psyker. Max uses his weapon to stop the staff from striking her head. With a strong push from Max, the psyker leaps far away from them. He looks at Max and sees the void come out from him. Kayleth slowly stands up only to find herself feeling more than just an ally.

Max points to the enemy, "You are nothing to me. Return to your allies and let them know we are ready for battle."

The psyker growls and roars, "You cannot protect her forever!"

The psyker of Malice disappears from the area. Max slowly allows him rage to calm down and turns to Kayleth to see her step away from him. He tries to move towards her, but she steps away. Max nods his head and understands why she does it; many people are not relaxed around a blank. He urges her that they return to the base and let everyone know the time for battle will soon be upon them. Kayleth finds herself frozen with fear; Max looks to her and sighs.

He says, "It is alright, Kayleth. What I did is not easy for anyone like you to experience and be around. Even a psyker of the imperium would be driven mad by my ability. We can talk more later about what happen, but we must return to our friends."

As Max tries to lead on, Kayleth walks far behind her ally.

She thought, _"He easily sent the psyker away with no trouble. He is slowly learning how to control his powers and abilities with ease."_

They arrive safely back with their allies and quickly take to council with the others. Max leads to the group in with the surprise of the psyker for Malice. The news didn't surprise any of them until Kayleth reveals the danger he is to any warlock under Veldoran.

He says, "My kin of warlocks are strong, but how much stronger is this warp user of Malice? Surely, he is not a challenge to me and less of a threat to my acolytes?"

Lucas replies, "Based on what your commander and Max have told us, the only person who can put the sorcerer on the defensive is Max. What of his allies? Are any of them in the area around the foundry or further out in the lands?"

Max answers, "He didn't show up with any others, but it is safe to say that they are here too. It would be best if we stay prepared for any of them."

Lina pulls up her monitors and calls to everyone. Wraithseer Elenwe howls in a fit of rage.

Elenwe says, "The enemy is here at the foundry. They march silently, but I feel their presence in the area. They come from the north west."

Lina adds, "There is movement there in the north west. We must mobilize the army."

As everyone heads out to gather up the companies, Max looks for Kayleth and pulls to the side for a brief chat. She nearly lets her hand slice off his face, but she agrees to speak with him.

Max says, "I need you to stay here. Guard the base and do not leave it for anything."

Kayleth looks at him puzzled, "Who are you to command me to stay out of a fight? My kin will be fine without any protection, Max. This is not the time for you to try and be overprotective of me; you are far from giving me any orders."

Before she can turn away, Kayleth feels her warp energy slowly drain from her. She looks back to Max and sees his eyes showing annoyance.

Max demands, "You are to stay here and wait until we return. That is an order and not a suggestion."

She leaps through a warp portal and heads to join her allies. Veldoran and his warlocks gather together the eldar only to hear the awkward request from Kayleth.

A howling banshee snarls, "That human Max does not command the eldar to do any such thing; we will be in battle to save the humans as we have done so before."

Veldoran agrees, "To not know what we face makes us easy to predict for our enemies. I can't sit this fight out and wait until the enemy is upon us. We go to war."

The remaining eldar stands with the idea of battle; Kayleth gladly agrees with her kin. The eldar would enter the battle under false pretense; they agree that the humans will go in first to battle the enemy. As the warp portals open elsewhere for the leap into battle, the imperial guard gather their weapons for war. Lina equips Max with a new sword and gun similar to Lucas. Instead of a sword of lighting, Max wields a sword of fire. The side arm is an improved laspistol capable of firing melta bullets. Lastly, the gear has been fitted to where his blank abilities are more controlled than ever; Lina installs a small amplifier for Max to channel his abilities if he knows how. The imperial guardians pick up new lasrifles that now fire lighting shots of energy. Each sword is sharper than ever; some pick up chain swords. The ogryns slap on heavy armor that covers their entire body and lift up new bolter shotguns. As the BONE Eads muscle their groups together, Lucas and Max take the front. Lucas looks over to see Max showing signs of worry.

He says, "Are you alright? You look as if someone has you worried or something has come up."

Max replies, "I asked Kayleth to keep her people out of the fight. We will have a better chance if they don't interfere."

Lucas chuckles slightly at his friend only to say, "You are worried about her more than anyone else. It is ok to feel that way, but remember, she is an autarch of her kind. She is as hard-headed as you are."

Max scoffs at his friend's words, but he knows them to be true. Deep in his mind, he can feel the defiance in Kayleth; she feels as though she is now being told what to do best for her people. The imperial army advances to the northwest; a few eldar slip in and join them. They jump aboard the moving transports with ease. Warp spiders teleport short distances to keep up with their companies. The imperial guard moves out with new vehicles ready for battle. The transports have new weapons on the top and sides. The battle tanks are fully reinforced with heavy armor to withstand even the firepower of orks. In the center of several traveling groups, the Preachers of the Ecclesiarch deliver the word to many guardsmen.

One says, _"In the darkest of times, the light will always shine. In the brightest of days, night time will always fall. It matters not what the time is or the day. In those moments of light and dark, you are defined by your actions. You stand against the evil that comes to you in many shapes. It comes to you in the form of greed, rage, desire, and power. Many of these evils come to you. How you stand against it will determine what day you see after your trial be it night or day."_

A second preacher voices, _"We stand in service for the cause of greatness. We march on the path we crave out in the stars. Let the enemies of mankind know that we are here; we will not let our voices go unheard. We shall not bend a knee to the faces of evil; we stand and fight until the last man and woman falls. We push on for the future we make for others. In the wars we face, our enemy will remember this message: Mankind will always survive!"_

 **Chapter 3: Section 3 – 5**

The hand slides the fresh clip into the chamber. Every set of eyes looks out into the distance to see what is there. Words shoot out from mouths as orders are given; the construction of the base is ready and complete. They patrol the area and look for any intruders nearby; the air is no longer cold and breezy. The surroundings are full of summer breeze and unnatural energy. Everyone is alerted, worried, focused, and prepared. The imperial army looks for the first sign of any enemy approaching. The wait is driving some mad. In the center, Lucas orders the men to hold and steel their mind. At the front, Max urges everyone to be safe and ready. As they hold their position, the eldar stand near and ready. None have moved a single muscle or step out of form. She walks slowly forward with her warlock to see what the enemy brought for battle. The last words to her: _**"You are to stay here and wait until we return."**_ Such words will never be followed by any eldar of Alaitoc. To obey the command of a _mon-keigh_ is pitiful.

At the front of the humans, he stops within range of eyesight. Everyone looks upon the face of a new evil standing before them. The loss of words for explanation can't be formed. Every nerve causes imperial guardsmen to desire to run from what they now face. Imperial Guardians stand strong even as they lock their guns and aim; Lucas comes to the front and stands with his friend. He can't believe the words himself. The enemy is heavy armored and proudly bears the colors of Malice. The psyker of Malice is more than just a man. He swings his staff high above his head and strikes the ground.

Lucas turns to Max, "When were you going to decide to share with us that the psyker is a space marine?"

Max takes the aggressive stance, "Prepare yourself."

The psyker remains silent and strikes his staff on the ground once more. Behind his back, a large cloud of warp energy expands horizontally. The psyker shuts his eyes and silences his thoughts. The imperial soldiers look on and see beings emerge from the warp slowly. Once through, they look upon the silent warriors marked with a symbol of Malice. They are former men from other worlds. Nothing covers them but a pair of shoes and pants. The upper torso is cut with bleeding wounds and flesh torn at various spots. The most recognizable feature is the eyes wide open and mouth sewed shut. Skulls of humans, orks, and tau hang from their neck; the silent army looks forward and clashes their weapons together. They charge at the first line of guardsmen; they are easily gunned down with no trouble. The guardsmen cheer and boast for a challenge. Lucas nearly urges the soldiers on only for Max to tell him no. Another second wave of silent warriors came out from the warp portal. They do as the same like the others before them. Before they move in close, they are easily taken out. The guardsmen take pride in their kill and move forward. Only the imperial guardians wait and watch. Nearly two companies of soldiers move forward and gun down anyone that comes out of the warp portal. Once they are close to the psyker, they fire a barrage of lasrifle at him. Not a single shot hits him.

He opens his eyes and strikes his staff on the ground again. The warp portal expands some more and puts the guardsmen on the defense as they back off. They turn to retreat only to see those that who died are back again; the two companies die before the eyes of all by the hands of the Malice's followers. As many fight on till the end, they see the worse happen to those that died on their side. The fallen allies turn into the same mindless husks like the others. The warp portal finally lets the daemons of the warp through. With no other choice, the imperial army fires into the crowd of daemons and silent warriors. This time, the lasrifle has no effect on any of them. With fear slowly coming over, Max readies the men for close combat. Before he can give the word, a set of noises occur around them. As Max cries out for them to hold, the eldar leap from each portal and begin to drive the enemy back. Lucas moves his troops in as the humans and eldar push the enemy back. As great as the enemy is, they each die a horrible death. With each silent warrior falling, they try and commit suicide to thin out the numbers. Each silent warrior has a bomb strapped to his chest and others use the warp to take down more. When the blast goes off, it pulls eldar and human in as if a portal is opened. Veldoran uses his warp powers only to be countered by the psyker of Malice. Kayleth strikes where she can as she too finds herself against the wall. Lucas holds the line with the allies falling back as the power of the psyker strengthens the area. Veldoran gets stabbed in the leg, arm, and side. He falls to the ground hurt and cries out in pain.

The psyker tries to move in and take the very soul of Veldoran. He employs a strong warp spell to rip the eldar warlock soul from his very body; Kayleth tries to fight her way to him only to be blocked by several warriors. Elenwe comes to the field and slowly causes the enemy to fall back due to the warp powers she uses. Before she can unleash her power, a cold feeling comes over the field. The eldar look around to feel a void feeling come around them. The psyker backs off and finds himself less confident. The empty, cold void surrounds the land; the silent warriors let out a cry for help and groan in pain. The psyker looks to the sky and sees his spell being drained away. He looks around him to see the silent warriors run and fall dead on the ground. Every single human and eldar turns to see him walk towards the front. His rage is unchecked; the abilities are stronger than ever. The psyker backs away to the warp portal. He points to Max and quickly disappears. With the enemy dead and unable to come back, the soldiers of the imperium look to Max. Though he is a blank, his powers saved everyone. The spell is gone; the warp powers are completely cleared from the area.

Lucas gladly slaps his friend on the shoulder, "You did it! You gave that space marine psyker something to fear!"

Before any words of excitement come from Max, he looks back to see her. Lucas tries to call to his friend; no words pass through his ear. Max is angry; she didn't listen to his words. Kayleth didn't use any form of caution. Now, he walks over to her and barely contains his rage. His blank powers still circle the area; many people and eldar feel as though a new threat is there to swallow them all.

Max comes to Kayleth and says, "Why didn't you stay at the base? Why did you come here when I warned you?"

Kayleth annoyingly replies, "I do not take orders from you, _Mon-Keigh_ Max."

Before she can walk away, an enormous cold feeling surrounds the eldar and humans. In his rage, Max calls to Kayleth again and grips her arm. She tries to stab him only to feel cold void overcoming her warp power.

Max shouts, "Why didn't you stay at the base?!"

His words echo all around her; she looks to him with no appearance of rage in her eyes to show. The unnatural feeling of his blank powers amplifies beyond measure; Kayleth looks into his eyes. She can see his brown irises yet feel unprotected at the same time. The eldar try to move near their autarch; they can barely withstand the unmatched power of Max. He questions her with great fury. Her heart begins to beat faster; the emotions are left full of fear. She feels so alone and vulnerable to him.

He tightly grasps her arm and roars, "Why didn't you listen to me? That psyker is more powerful than you and Veldoran put together. Elenwe may be able to hold her own against him, but you are too much at risk to be facing off against him. I gave you an order to stay at the base. Instead of heeding my words of caution, you dismiss them by placing yourself, Veldoran, and others at risk. If anyone is going to stop that lunatic, it will be done with no hands from the eldar. You and your kin are to stay at the foundry; you must only strike when you can and not when it is convenient for you. Do you understand me?"

Max lets her go and walks away from Kayleth only to hear, "You are not my commanding officer. I am not one of your lowly soldiers under your command…"

Max turns and rushes at Kayleth. With no one able to see his movements or reactions, he drives the eldar commander back and locks her against a transport. He questions her comprehension again only for his blank abilities to stretch out even further; the unknown void nearly causes all eldar to feel as though The Great Evil is upon them.

He screams, "THAT IS AN ORDER, KAYLETH! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

In her mind, she is stunned with fear. Her soul cries out to be freed; Her body shakes with a need to flee. In her heart, she is more frightened than ever before. Kayleth may have been a great autarch of her craft world, but nothing prepared her for what Max shows her again. Her emerald eyes show that fear has replaced her wrathful pride; she nearly cowers in fear as Max didn't let his rage cool down. Only when he feels Lucas touching his shoulder did he relax and focus. Lina keeps calling to him over the radio com. Once Max returns to his sense, he looks around to see the eldar and humans circling around him. The eldar shake with fear as strong willed as they are; they would do anything to safeguard their leader. The imperial soldiers nearly grip their lasrifle to aim at Max. Though he brings nervousness and caution to all, the most troubling sight is in front of him. He turns back to see Kayleth; she is breathing quick as though her very soul is snatched from her body. The look in her eyes fills him with fear and worry; he didn't mean to show to press so hard.

Max says, "I…I apologize for that…"

Like a frightened cat, Kayleth leaps from the ground and rushes off into the nearest warp portal she can find; the eldar follow in the same manner. Many other imperial guardsmen are impressed with Max and his abilities. A few harden imperial guardians look to him with trouble. Lucas finds himself puzzled with how strong Max is.

He thought, _"Was the equipment from Lina enhancing his abilities? Did he grow stronger from his encounter with the psyker? What is going on with Max?"_

The army adjusts the camp once order is restored. Max walks off to be alone with his thoughts. The eldar remain around their allies; every single person keeps a healthy distance away from Max. The Preachers keep the men rallied as they try to remind them of the success. Lucas issues orders for everyone around the camp. Once done, he excuses himself for a private chat with Lina by a private com channel. Once he is alone at his booth, Lucas calls.

Lina answers, "Lucas, what is going on? Why did my vox channels and radio coms pick up an unusual sound? All we could recall at the base is a cold feeling and static."

Lucas says, "I need you to tell me everything about the devices you made for Max. It seems that you gave him more than just an edge for battle."

Lina looks through her system and checks the data files in seconds. She replies, "I only made it where Max will perform under stressful moments better. The gear for him is meant to keep his blank powers in check. They have a limiter set on them for him to not be able to expand them."

Lucas reveals, "Well, the items didn't do as it should. Max did more than just used his powers on the field. He went all out and his powers left me, the army and our allies weak; however, I believe he hurt Kayleth more than anyone ever has. That was my first time seeing her in so much fear."

A soldier comes to Lucas as Lina says, "Well, I am sure he didn't mean to harm her or scare her. He just may want nothing to happen to her. Plus, she is an autarch to her people."

He disagrees, "Well, today the autarch of the Alaitoc became a small animal with more than just fear."

In the eldar camp, he lies still. He lets the warp power of his warlocks heal him; the process is slow and hurtful. Each wound was cut from the warp energy the psyker of Malice used on him. Most warp powers used against him can easily be healed. Instead, this particular warp power leaves Veldoran in so much pain. Elenwe arrives and looks over her hurt friend; she begs the other eldar to move back and she finishes up the process. The great Wraithseer plunges her spear into the soil. She calls upon her warp powers to circle around Veldoran. The pain from his wounds increases greatly. Elenwe chants a few words and guides the young warlocks in the last stage of healing him. Each warlock holds one arm upward with open palm. In the center of each hand, a small green flame emerges. The warlocks guide the small flame to Veldoran. The heat slowly burns the open wounds closed. Veldoran cries out in pain as the wounds are sealed tight and leave scars upon his body. Once the chants and warp powers quiet down, Veldoran opens his eyes to see that his strengthen is renewed.

Elenwe calls to him, "You have suffered greatly against a dangerous foe. Your wounds are now scars that will no longer go away."

Veldoran sits up and replies, "The enemy proved to be too much for me. I didn't expect a former follower from the Lord of Change to be so strong much less able to scar me."

The eldar breathe a sound of relief to see the great enchanter rise to his feet. As the eldar return to their guard post and stand alert for combat, Elenwe continues to strengthen her kin through the warp power she uses. Veldoran manages his warlocks with ease and slowly moves. He tries to inquire about Kayleth. Before he can get an answer, Elenwe telepathically speaks to him.

She says, "Our commander her taken this time to be alone. She is not to be disturbed for reasons that are not ours."

Rather than push the question, he recalls back to the reasons why. Veldoran and Elenwe continue to strengthen the resolve of the eldar. The mighty eldar stand as a whole, but the lingering questions continue striking at their mind.

 _"How much stronger did he become? Is he more of a threat to any being of the warp? Can he be trusted? Will he still be able to save us?"_

In the warp portal known only to her, she stands alone with her thoughts. She has fought many unimaginable hordes of evil before the Great Fall. Every battle has taught her to be without fear. Each opponent was given no mercy; no army is able to withstand her might. No human leader, ork war boss, or dark champion of chaos has given her a reason to pause. In her heart, Kayleth never knew what it means to be afraid. As she allows herself time to be alone, she focuses on her rage. She allows it to build and bubble. No living being has ever given her a reason to show such weakness. With her mind unwilling to stay on the thought of rage, Kayleth feels something different. It leaks from the corner and slides down slowly. Once it reaches the edge, it falls into her palm.

Kayleth thought, _"What is this? What is this feeling?"_

She reaches up and touches the source of the leaking; it is unexpected. She did not see it happening to her. Kayleth didn't believe it possible to happen to her. In own thoughts, she experiences something that she never knew existed. Her legs give out; she falls to the surface. Her hands clutch her chest and mouth. The same liquid begins to flow from the same source. Instead of the regular emotions she knows best, Kayleth of Alaitoc feels a new experience for the first time in her long life. It leaves her hurt beyond words. In her silence moment, she feels weaker than a newborn child. The breathing is quick; her body is cold. Though she tries to shut out the horrible feeling, it overcomes with each passing minute. There is nothing else left for her to do to stop it. All she can do is embrace it. Kayleth cries for how Max made her feel.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _Sometimes, the hardest choices we face are the ones we know the answer to. In our hubris, we must sometimes accept that things will always be as they are even as we change for the better._

 **Chapter 4: Section 4 – 1**

The energy flows around the area; he nearly had what he needed to begin the ritual. If it wasn't for Max interfering, the capture would have been complete. An eldar warlock is a perfect sacrifice for the dark one Malice; in fact, the eldar autarch would also benefit him greatly too. The psyker sits and lets the events roll around his head. In his madness for more power, the only person that halts his progress is Max. The psyker takes a walk to meet with his dark allies. In the center of the abandoned fortress, the silent ones welcome their psyker. They speak no words and utter nothing. The next step has to begin despite the number and any advantage must be gained. He takes the staff and strikes the ground. A dark power awakens under him and warp energy flows into the ground ahead of him; the ground sends electricity all over the area. Underneath the metal coverings, more power is being sent to a machine. The electricity sends jolts of power through wires hooked into circuit boards. As more power passes through the circuit board, various areas begin to turn on and power up.

System broadcasts: **"Life support system, on."**

The machine continues to power up and the metal claws move slowly. The rush of blood flows through the vital tubes of the system. The cybernetics flash and spark with life. As the systems begin to flash, his vision becomes clear to him even in the darkness. The covering above his head opens up. The psyker steps backwards from the hole; it has been centuries since the last time he was needed for combat. He was one of the few living beings that didn't allow the warp to twist his soul and corpse. As the elevator brings him up, the bright light above his head shines on him. Locked away and sealed up tight, the man within the dreadnought looks around to see a new place unlike any he has seen in the warp. He looks to see the psyker stand before him; he rushes upon him. The silent army tries to halt the monstrous metal beast. Instead of being on guard, the psyker holds his hand up. The dreadnought stops in front of the psyker.

He says, "Your name is Sergeant Raul the Lost. You were once a mighty warrior for the dead emperor of mankind. He abandoned you during the time of the Horus Heresy in need of his own gains. Your team died horribly, yet you endured the pain. Their final task to you was incasing your remaining body inside a dreadnought. In return, the dark one Khorne allowed you to roam free. You were a mindless hulk until we recovered you to our cause. So, I ask you this Sergeant Raul. Who do you serve?"

Raul pulls his metal claw back and answers, "I serve Malice. In return, I shall deliver the killing blow to the dark ones in his name. Let me go and claim the rewards from those that serve Khorne. He and I must settle our debt in blood."

The psyker and dreadnought turn to the south. They look forward to the coming battle with the enemy; the army divides up and more beings of the warp join their cause. Warriors of Nurgle and Khorne step into the light from the warp. Many fester and rot; some smell and rust. Several scream for a bloody rampage to begin and handfuls carry the skulls of their enemies around their neck. They all cry out for more blood to be spilled. Others call to Grandfather Nurgle as they try to spread his name. Once enough comes through, the portal is shut. The psyker wields his staff and blesses the army with more than just a few words of praise. The spell blinds out their need to satisfy their dark masters. No longer will they spread the word of the Grandfather of plagues. They shall not drain the enemy of life for the blood to flow to him. After the staff strikes the ground, the psyker whispers the words of madness in their head to complete his spell. Every warrior of Khorne and Nurgle now answer to Malice and seek only to bring destruction.

He says, "I am Balrok. You are mine to do with as I please. We must stop the coming void before it destroys us. We march on our enemies of Malice now. None shall stop us."

The cracking sound of bolter fire rings loudly as the beast dies from a wound. The green skin fall to the soil and looks up to see the barrel of a gun. A final shot to the face ends the creature. Even after eliminating the last groups of orks, the green horde of savages never completely dies off until a whole planet is burned to ash. Lucas looks around to see if the area is cleared and his company of young guardsmen move up the field. As they fire again at the dead ork, the proper method of combat is instructed to them.

Lucas says, "In battle, when you face an ork, you will face their need to fight you. The reality of your choices leave you with very little time to decide. You will fight and kill the raging xeno with a shot to the head or it kills you. For those weaker than others, they are faced with many ways to die once their life as a slave to an ork begins. So, what will be your choice when that time comes?"

As Lucas hears various answers and continues his patrol, Lina and her group of eager tech-priests and skitarii squads learn what they can of the devices on the ground. Many pick up various and valuable pieces. All is well until Lina sees a young priest hold an ork gun. She walks over to him and questions his reason for why taking such a crude weapon from the ground.

The tech-priest says, "The spark of life comes from machines, does it not? How are we to learn more of our enemy technology if we are not to study it?"

Lina proudly answers, "All life is a spark. All machines have their own unique spark. Many are the same and others are different. When it comes to human technology, the spark of life is always ever so bright. To learn of your enemy technology is not a sin. To try and harness their power from their technology is the flaw that leads down the road to ruin. The Great Omnissiah of the Machine Spirit admires your need to learn about what all devices do; however, when we fight orks, their machines can never truly work by our hands until we demolish it down to a circuit board. To do so is a waste of time. The only study of ork technology is to remember that it blows up in your face."

She tosses the device to the ground. As they walk away, the ork piece blows up with a small boom. Everyone nearby looks to them and sees the ork device in pieces. The tech-priest thanks the _Blessed Techno Woman_ and honors her words more closely. In the back of the group, he lets his thoughts stir around in his mind. He thinks back to how much fear he put in her heart. She may have been fearless, but the autarch is still able to feel danger. As vicious and strong as she is, Kayleth nearly crumbled at the raw power of Max. He still can see her emerald eyes showing fear; Max hears the sound of flickering in the distant and looks to his right. From the portal at the top of a nearby foundation, she steps through. He is glad to see her, but Max keeps a healthy distance. She looks over to see him turn away. Veldoran steps from the warp portal and watches with some interest.

Veldoran says, "Max is too dangerous for any of us to oppose. Now, he may be a threat to us if we anger him any more. What of your thoughts?"

Kayleth holds her tongue and turns her sight to what is in front. She focuses on what is in front of them, but Veldoran senses her soul feeling hurt. He didn't understand how things are between both parties, but both factions continue to keep the peace. The other eldar speak with their human comrades; they keep a massive amount of distant when they see Max approach. As the alliance pushes on and battle small units of orks, the questions begin to stir in the mind of a handful.

 _"Is he our ally? Will he stop the enemy? Can we trust him?"_

The alliance arrives at a particular area and start setting up camp; Max stands alone and looks on to see everyone become active around each other. It nearly hurts him to see that both human and eldar work well together until he arrives in the area. He takes a moment to step off and disappear from his friends. He needs time alone with his thoughts. After the base of operation is ready, Lucas and Lina send out orders to their various guardsmen and imperial guardians for their patrol. Kayleth and Veldoran instruct their kin on how to provide support or surprise the enemy with their allies. A few random ork parties assault the front of the alliance base. It didn't take much for the ork groups to be kept in check. As the patrols head out into the open field, Lucas and Lina share their own thoughts on the more interesting events.

Lina says, "The patrols from both sides report a few ork parties. There is nothing new on the silent army of Malice's followers. They seem to have a no central base or camp grounds. We should have found something now, but they have yet to reveal their true intentions…"

Lucas silences her reports and says, "It is alright. The enemy will show up soon, but I worry for Max. Ever since we have come here, he has been slightly unusual."

She presses against her Lucas, "Do you believe it is because of the encounter we had with the psyker of Malice?"

Elsewhere at the eldar hub, Veldoran replies, "Of course, the eldar are now on edge due to the sudden awakening of a blank's abilities. Surely, there must be another way around this Elenwe?"

Wraithseer Elenwe replies, "None of our kind or species has ever encountered a blank during any of our long life. Though Max shows too much strength in his ability, he has proven a danger to any psyker. He may be a danger to us; we will have to use any means to keep our kin safe if he does turn against us."

Kayleth stands back and quiets her thoughts; she thinks back to how the void of nothingness came over her. The unknown ability of Max left her too vulnerable for any other psyker to eliminate her. As strong as the spirit of Khaine makes her, it did not stand to rival a being with no soul. She excuses herself from the others and heads out to the front of the camp. Once she is alone and away from others, Kayleth allows herself a moment to breathe easy. She recalls the look on his face; Max showed her more rage than a daemon of the warp. He shook her soul with more than the fear of death. His words echo in her mind that nearly frightens her again.

 _"Why didn't you listen to me? That psyker is more powerful than you…"_

The words constantly slam into her mind and nearly bring her sadness. In her eyes, Kayleth sees Max as more than a threat to the eldar. Before any more thoughts come to her, the base shrieks loudly as the alarms go off. Out from the shadow of the warp, the followers of Malice rush into the base and begin to attack at random targets. The imperial army and eldar are caught off guard as they put up a desperate defense. Several buildings are damaged from explosive bombs. Eldar troops and imperial soldiers fall to the ground either hurt or dead. Kayleth rushes to the first area and slays a handful of Malice followers; it didn't take long before she turns about to see him. He emerges from the warp with his silent bodyguards at his side. He looks to see the eldar commander shine brightly. He orders the two space marine bodyguards to engage Kayleth; they move with surprising speed like all space marines. They almost catch Kayleth in a surprise; however, she leaps up and slashes at the armor of one. Not a single noise of pain or shock comes from him. They engage the eldar again and run around her in a circle. They strike at the ground leaving marks around her feet. Kayleth looks to the psyker as he begins to wave his hands. She allows her warp power to enhance her greatly. Before she can move on them, Balrok sends a blast of light upward from under Kayleth. She feels her body lock up at her arms and legs.

Kayleth looks down to see that that the strikes and marks on the ground are part of the plan. She tries to move; the powers from Balrok keep her locked in place. Once the spell is complete, he walks over to her. Kayleth looks in horror to see the space marine psyker wield warp powers like none she has ever seen. With a swirl of his hand, a warp chain appears in his palm. She damns the dark follower of Malice. Not a single word is spoken. No promises of death are issued; only the dark presence over comes her.

 **Chapter 4: Section 4 – 2**

The fires burn away at the camp on many buildings and cries for help are heard from several others. No one did not see this happen so sudden. Many are dead and few spirit stones are collected to send off to the infinity circuit. A series of lasrifle fire is heard in the north. They gun down the foolish only to see that the enemy smiles upon their end. A follower of Malice looks up with no hope of survival; the only comfort is that the damned be not saved but reborn to continue his great plan. Lucas rushes his troops forward into battle with his allies closely following. As painful as his wounds are, the adept enchanter Veldoran urges his kin forward to support their allies. Both sides are full of rage and anger; they all seek the same target. No sign of Kayleth is reported; Max is unable to be found. As the army of Malice holds a small pocket in the front of the camp, the eldar rangers and imperial guardsmen hold the line. Though no leader is present to keep the morale high, Carl of the Imperial Guardians stands with Shelia of the Howling Banshees. They both keep everyone focused despite the need to retreat.

Carl shouts, "We will not run from these silent monsters! They came here to bring war on us! We shall give it in return and not turn our back to them!"

Shelia adds, "Eldar of craft world Alaitoc, do not give in! They shall receive the death fitting for them! Let them hear our cry of battle!"

Shelia and Carl keep the alliance together. The silent army uses their advances skills and power; they find themselves unable to self-destruct among the mobs at various moments. Where one follower of Malice tries to take down many with a suicide stunt, an eldar banshee slices off the trigger hand or head. As many try to keep back the wave of imperial soldiers, several imperial guardsmen subdue prisoners before any can commit suicide. The silent army falls back from the front base and victory against the enemy gives the alliance more time to look over the damage. Many are dead and more are wounded. The medics and healers of the eldar provide what little help they can to restore the strength of their allies. Carl looks over the losses and damage to the imperial army. He looks up to see Lucas approach him with worry; Lina joins the duo as they speak of what has happen.

Carl reports: "The army of Malice's followers struck a deep blow to us. Many of the facilities are burning, but they still are useable. There is more than enough dead to count. Our transports can take the wounded back to the base for restoration; the dead will be collected. Our vehicles and battle tanks can use some looking over by the tech priests. If it was not for me and Shelia of the howling banshees, the first line would have retreated. Also, Max is not around. I do not know where he is nor has anyone seen him. Once we get the situation here steady, we must push forward. Not just for the desire to get some payback, but for the imperium."

Lina and Lucas nod in agreement with Carl. They begin to assist where they can to bring back the faith of many. Even the Preachers of the imperium give their blessing to those that did not run. Some Preachers say a few words of prayer to the living and others pray for the dead. Only a handful see to the incineration of the fallen by holy fire; the morale of the imperial army goes up for need of revenge. Shelia searches for the faces of Veldoran and wraithseer Elenwe. They honor and commend her for staying true to the fight against the enemy; the group takes a moment to speak together.

Shelia says, "The enemy gave us a surprise we didn't see coming. We have recovered any fallen eldar spirit stone and placed safely in the infinity circuit. A few of our kin is assisting the humans with the wounded. Handfuls of rangers are scouting ahead to find Kayleth. Her presence here can be helpful for the next battle. Once we are ready, we shall march with our allies on the enemy wherever they lurk. I seek to stop their plans before they can achieve them. I will be at the front keeping watch. If possible, I will remain with Carl should the occasion happen again. He can be a powerful champion when no one else steps forward."

Veldoran nods and dismisses the banshee warrior. Elenwe uses her warp powers to reveal all possible warp portals nearby. As fast as the enemy attacked, they leave no traces of lingering warp trails behind. As everyone begins their long march to the next landscape, the need of revenge nearly consumes some. The urge to eliminate any follower of Malice bothers many more. At the front of the alliance, Lucas and Veldoran lead with focus. In the sky, Lina watches from the War Harbinger ship and Elenwe looks on as she slowly advances her kin.

In the darkness, there are no words of sorrow. In the presence of evil, there can't be thoughts of fear. The air is cold and a lingering smell rushes to touch the nostrils. Every nerve stays alert for any sudden approaches; the eyes are unable to pierce beyond the darkness. All that can be done is to focus on what is to come next. She tries to struggle free; Kayleth feels the chains squeeze tighter around her body. Her powers of eldritch flames swirl around the chains. The metal reacts to the flame with a squeeze unlike before. The eldar warrior feels as though her life is being choked out of her; a fierce cry for freedom is heard. A new yet familiar face looks upon her to see her struggle. Before she can try again, the echoing sound of footsteps forces her to pay close attention. From the shadows of the door way, he steps to the eldar commander. Kayleth looks into the eyes of the psyker. The aura of the space marine psyker is awe and shocking. The power flowing from him is unlike any she has encountered before. With just a thought, he uses his warp powers to tighten the chains around her more. She holds in the pain and shows her defiance.

Kayleth groans slightly, "What do you want from me? Did you come here to make me suffer? Does the sound of my suffering give you satisfaction? You will not hear me beg from any torture you put me through. I will escape from this and end you."

Balrok leans towards her. He whispers a single word to her: _"Suffer"_.

The pain starts at her feet like an itch. It slowly goes up her legs and becomes a burning sensation. Her skin starts to feel a small, sharp edge cut at her soul. The arms feel an acid like form travel through her. There is a sudden icy touch swirling in her chest; Kayleth looks on at Balrok and holds in her hurt, yet she feels her eyes slowly crack under the pressure. Her eyes feel razor blades cut at her sight. She can barely breathe under the pain; she may have been strong in combat, but it fails her now. Kayleth gnashes her teeth; one muscle in her body tears at the wrist. Her skin peels away from her leg. With no other thought to come to her, the great eldar commander breaks in mere seconds. Kayleth screams with a cry for help; the howling for the pain to stop intensifies. Kayleth tries to hold her tongue, but the pain is too much.

Before Balrok can continue, he hears the voices of danger from the battlefield through the warp. One of his servants comes to him with news of the alliance. He begins to telepathically inform others; Balrok turns back to Kayleth and watches her suffer.

He says, "I know you are in great pain. And if you can feel it, the other eldar can hear your screams. You will be broken before you kin, Kayleth of craft world Alaitoc. By my hands, you will suffer and die only after we have the spirit stones of your kin."

Balrok moves to the door and brings Kayleth with him with warp power. Once outside, he looks down from atop of his high ground to see the damage to the small forward base; the alliance has proven vicious in their battle against the believers of Malice. They spare none of the smaller groups under Balrok. Each unit has been eliminated and no more prisoners are spared; Balrok had to make his voice known again and raises his staff to the sky. With the warp power flashing brightly, Balrok lets his voice carry the message of despair to the alliance.

He says: **"You will not find her. We are hidden from your eyes and cannot be heard with your ears. Surrender now, and embrace what we off."**

Balrok uses more of the powers of the warp to teleport further to the battle. Kayleth tries her best to endure the pain, but it slowly becomes unbearable. At the center of the battle, Veldoran and Lucas push hard into orks and Malice followers. None are spared a slow death. Both forces of order do what they are meant to do. They give no quarter; there is no pause. The fury of the alliance drives many orks back. The small victory brings them some joy, but none celebrate just yet. They have to recover Kayleth; Max must be found. At the front of the line, battle tanks shatter one of the walls. Four people lead the charge in and slaughter anything that moves. From bands of orks to handfuls of Malice followers, the leading champions and commanders cry out.

Lucas orders: "Get up those walls and provide cover fire. All rangers, snipers, and skitarii rifle users are to provide cover fire from the walls at once. The rest of you follow me into the center. We will push back the tide."

Veldoran commands: "All warp spiders are to sting and disappear. I need all dire avengers to join Lucas in the center. Warlocks are to provide warp protection. We will find no shortage of danger here."

The War Harbinger slowly floats within range of the battle. The human ship rains down shots from cannon fire. As Lina keeps up with Lucas each step of the way by air, Elenwe guides her kin closely as they brave the dangers they now face. A massive explosion occurs just ahead of their position. The alliance advances slowly; the ground shakes and rumbles. Every guardsmen and eldar firing squads take cover behind fallen rubble. The soldiers look out into the open. The eldar enhance their vision to see what is coming. From the dusty air, the machine stomps the ground. The claws carry the dead orks and a turret atop of the machine is smoking. Everyone looks upon a dreadnought of chaos. The heavy machine gun aims at the groups; a volley of bullets sprays the field. Everyone ducks down, but many are caught by the barrage. Lucas looks around just at the edge of cover to see the mighty machine. The person inside is usually drive mad with rage after being entombed inside a dreadnought. Veldoran joins Lucas by the damaged transport vehicle.

He says, "This is quite a surprise to encounter one."

Lucas adds, "I always don't mind fighting against evil. For us to battle against a corrupt space marine dreadnought is an honor in itself."

The transport vehicle catches fire; Lucas tries to sprint away. Veldoran puts up a warp barrier. The blast throws them back to the ground and the ground shakes as a massive object approaches; Veldoran looks up and sees the dreadnought approaching. He turns to see Lucas knocked out. Rather than leave him to die, the warlock enchanter stands on his feet. The army looks to the front and sees a few gather around Veldoran. They all stand firm as the dreadnought of Malice approaches. The claws clamp down on the body of an ork. As the guardsmen, imperial guardians, and eldar stand fearless, Veldoran urges those around him to remain focused.

Veldoran roars, "We will not run! Lucas requires our protection."

Having spoken barely his last words, the powerful Wraithseer Elenwe of Alaitoc says, "Leave this broken, metal mortal to me!"

Elenwe moves ahead of her kin and allies. The dreadnought charges at her; she senses the fading powers of the chaos being replaced. Elenwe uses her spear to thrust at the dreadnought. It moves with sudden speed as the spear tip scraps against the top. Elenwe sees the metal claw reach for her; it grips her wrist shield. The powerful claw crushes the shield and renders it useless. Elenwe surprises her foe and shatters the machine bolter on the left. The dreadnought roars and crashes into Elenwe; she falls to the ground and the chaos monster pins her weapon down. She struggles to push the dreadnought away. Suddenly, a device pops out from atop of the dreadnought. The device broadcast a sound to weaken Elenwe. She shrieks in pain. As the device increases in power, three warp spiders appear by the device and planet small explosives. Once done, they warp away from the dreadnought. Elenwe looks over to see the weaken Veldoran struggle to stand. He and his warlock group project lighting towards the device; the explosives attach to the device are triggered by the light. The damage destroys the device and staggers the dreadnought backwards. Elenwe seizes her spear and drives it into the core of the dreadnought. A simple stab to a regular one would have killed it. Instead, the dreadnought digs the metal claw into the side of the Wraithseer. Elenwe falls back in pain as the dreadnought goes mad from the pain and rage.

Lucas wakes up to see his allies and eldar warriors around him; they fire at the few scattering groups of orks and followers of Malice. He focuses his vision on the crazed dreadnought. Elenwe moves back more and keeps her distance. Lucas pulls out his sword and rises up. He lets his voice ring loudly as he charges pass his allies at the dreadnought. Before any can stop him or call to him, Lucas moves with unyielding strength. He cries tearfully with pride: _"For the eldar and imperium!"_ He pulls out his gun and fires several shots at the dreadnought before he drops his bolter. He pulls a grenade from his harness and unclips the pin. He hurls the tiny bomb at the legs of the chaos dreadnought; the explosion causes it to nearly stagger. Veldoran and his warlock fire lighting at the evil machine once more. Wraithseer Elenwe takes a knee. She feels Lucas step grab onto her arm and goes up towards her shoulder. Elenwe pushes up with a tremendous leap as Lucas pushes off her shoulder. The dreadnought is paralyzed by the lighting of the warlocks; Lucas flies high into the air before he slowly descends on the monster. With his power sword being driven downward into the dreadnought, he roars loudly one final time. His blade stabs a hole into a critical part of the dreadnought. With its rage unchecked, the metal menace swings violently and sends Lucas crashing into the dirt; Veldoran and Elenwe look to the power sword. It courses with electricity through it. The two warp wielders stand together and channel the power of the warp through them one last time.

The warp power from Wraithseer Elenwe and Enchanter Veldoran grows quickly. The dreadnought comes rampaging at the alliance. With their powers of the warp combined, they send their lighting at the power sword of Lucas. The sword is struck and sends a massive shock to the dreadnought. Before the chaos dreadnought advances any more, the rear portion of it explodes. The chain reaction is quick; the alliance witnesses the destruction of the dreadnought. They claim their victory over the chaos follower of Malice with great joy. Lucas looks up to see a fellow guardsmen and eldar sniper lift him up. In the eyes of all, they give him thanks for a reckless display of might and belief. No one has ever thought his actions would be that death defying. As the army reforms, they all hear the laughter. Everyone looks around only to see the eldar shriek and cry out. Carl comes across Shelia and inquiries about her reason to scream.

She says, "He has her. I hear his voice in my head."

Before Carl can ask who, the voice says, "You have done well, imperial soldiers. You have the enemy right where I need them. All that requires is your obedience. I can offer you save passage from here if you perform one simple task."

The soil under everyone lights up as a powerful chaos spell traps all within. Nearly all of the eldar and imperial guard army is trapped save only for those that are in the rear landscape. The same light shines upward to the sky; Lucas calls to the War Harbinger and Lina picks up the call, but she can't comprehend what she sees. The entire area just ahead of the War Harbinger is marked. The area is marked with the corrupt symbol of Malice and there is no escape for those trapped within.

Lina transmits to Lucas, "Please, come back to me."

 **Chapter 4: Section 4 – 3**

" _ **Your only chance of escaping this prison is to perform one act of sacrifice. To take a life is to save your life. The warp portal is open under your feet and covers the ground you stand on; the invisible walls at the edge of the barrier prevent you from leaving. You cannot get out. In a matter of minutes, daemons of the warp will come forth and spill your blood. Your only choice of escape is to slaughter your allies who scream in pain."**_

Lucas and handfuls of imperial soldiers look around to see the eldar weak from the warp spell being cast around the land. The pain is unbearable; Carl looks among the eldar banshees to see Shelia suffer and begs the pain to stop. The humans feel their skin burn with heat and lose focus. Some pass out only to be shaken awake to regain their thoughts. Veldoran calls out to his warlock kin; he looks up to see an imperial guard approach him. The gun clicks as the eldar enchanter sees his demise coming. Before the lasrifle can fire, the brave Lord General Lucas Turner smacks his fellow ally to the ground. He howls proudly and voices himself over the com channel.

He broadcasts, "All of you are to not slay a single eldar. This is a trap to only further empower the mad psyker; he seeks the eldar death to enhance him. Once they are all dead, he will slay us in return. Do no give in. We shall not be fools of his lies. Stand up with your allies and hold."

Lucas picks up Veldoran to see him holding on despite the pair. The call to stand firm encourages every guardsmen and imperial guardian to help their ally. As the men and women try to carry their eldar comrades to safety, Carl shares his moment with Shelia.

Shelia looks to him weakening from the warp spell, "You are still at my side. I thank you."

Carl replies, "I know who to stand with and what to stand for. I won't leave your side even if a daemon of chaos tries to take you. I swear I won't abandon you."

Lucas comes to the edge of the barrier. He finds Balrok standing proud as he sees him twirling his staff.

The Lord General shouts, "Your words are false! You will fail this day, space marine!"

Balrok snaps his fingers. A small cloud of warp power appears to his right. A few more eldar and imperial soldiers look on to see what will appear. Is it a daemon? Is it a weapon? No, the sight is more horrifying to the eldar. As the eldar of Alaitoc shriek in pain, they all look on to see and feel a sight more painful than ever. From the fading warp cloud, she is there. Her arms are tied down by warp chains. Her body is cut and hurting from the pains of the warp. Every single thought of rage, pain, sorrow, and agony scream loudly; the eldar commander Kayleth tries her best to not give in to the hurt. The humans see her wounds as nothing more than only a few hours of pain, but the eldar feel her pain as a lifetime of hurt. To Kayleth, the unimaginable experience of torture is an eldar life cycle from birth to near death. Balrok drags his knife against her face. Kayleth cries loudly as the pain intensifies each time. Her painful cries send a shock wave of hurt to the eldar. Even the great Wraithseer Elenwe howls from the hurt.

She cries loudly, "He harms us through her pain! Stop him my kin!"

Before any advances can be made, Balrok strikes her ribs. The force of the strike nearly causes Kayleth to slip into death. The eldar move backwards and feel the same pain; Lucas and the soldiers fire at the warp barrier. It helps them none.

Balrok says, "If you won't sacrifice the eldar, then they will suffer for as long as it takes. Her pain is now their pain. Her death will destroy them. What will you do now?"

Lucas and others look back to see the eldar army fall over in pain. Many grip their soul stones and pray that the next strike won't kill them. Lucas turns back to see Balrok stand before Kayleth. She looks up and damns the psyker; Balrok raises his staff above his head. He empowers the staff with a massive amount of warp energy. Kayleth can see that the attack is meant to kill her. She tries to not shed a single tear; she feels that her end didn't go as she thought it will. As the staff comes down, a sudden cold feeling slowly surrounds everyone in the area. Balrok stops his staff just an inch away from Kayleth and looks out into the landscape. The feeling is there; Lucas and the soldiers look to see the warp spell of Malice fade away from under their feet. The eldar stand up and look around. Veldoran tries to sense what is coming, but all he can feel is something cold. Elenwe stands on her feet. She pulls back in horror and shrieks loudly again. The eldar look around and feel cold. The unknown cold feeling is coming and it surrounds everyone in the area. Where is it coming?

There is no noise and silence is all that matters; every single step takes him closer to his target. He can hear his footsteps echo in his mind. The sound of his heartbeat is calm; there is no need to fear what is to come. He passes around the fallen debris and hops over a fallen metal rod. He rushes pass allies that didn't feel his presence; a soldier turns to see him, but he passes him by. An eldar looks around only to feel cold inside. The only person that matters to him is the one being held down by chains of the warp. The last person to look at him feels an unknown void. The void is open to him like an open wound; it is unable to heal and will forever allow anything to spill out. He is closing in on his target and looks to see the mad psyker of Malice is raising his staff to strike her. He quickens his pace. As she looks on with fear and sadness, Kayleth whispers the last words she will ever speak.

She says, _"Please, forgive me. I have failed…"_

The staff closes in for the killing blow; Lucas points to the enemy. Veldoran feels the uncomfortable feeling surround him as he tries to look into the void. Every person and xeno looks at Balrok to see his staff stop just in front of Kayleth. She didn't understand it. _How is it possible?_ The chains of the warp spell disappear from around her body. Her wounds do not hurt so greatly as she falls over. Instead, she feels a powerful force pull at her own warp powers. The warp within the area flows endlessly around the space in between Kayleth and Balrok. Everyone looks to see the warp form a human being. Balrok feels his staff get pushed upward; he staggers backwards. The warp slowly shrinks into the space around them. There is a thin line of a human in front of Kayleth. No one can make who this person is. Once the veil of cover drops, the eyes of everyone become surprised and shocked. Balrok steps further away in anger yet fear; Lucas smirks to see an old face. The eldar are amazed at what they feel. The imperial army shouts for his return. Kayleth feels afraid and glad to see him despite how vulnerable she has become. Max Johnson has return to his friends.

He pulls his power sword out and points to Balrok, "You will not harm her!"

Balrok engages Max only to feel the cold void come at him; Max roars violently as his uncheck blank abilities stretch out from within him. The cold feeling of the void frightens all. It reveals the same open wound to the eldar. The eldar use the moment to back further away; in fact, the imperial army backs up as well. Max charges at Balrok. Despite being a fallen space marine of the imperium, Balrok finds himself at a disadvantage against his opponent. The powers of Max's blank abilities puts Balrok at a weaken state. Not wanting to risk dying at his hands, Balrok teleports as far as he can from him. The teleport spell works and leave Balrok hurt. He roars loudly in a fit of rage and draws on the powers of the warp. The eldar stand frozen as the amount he gathers is enough to destroy all in the area; Max looks back to see Kayleth and everyone frozen with fear. High above the battle field, the War Harbinger maintains the position. The unchecked warp power of Balrok throws the ship in disarray. The systems flicker on and off; Lina calls and alerts everyone aboard to keep the systems going. She calls to her loved one as much as she can. The eldar watch in horror as a possible end comes to them. Balrok lets his staff float above his head and looks down to see Max walking forward at him. The space marine psyker lets his last ounce of power be taken into his staff. He leaps into the air and grasps the staff; Balrok throws the staff at Max. The warp power from the weapon instantly turns everything around it to ash. Everyone watches as Max picks up his pace and charges at the staff.

He sees the power of the warp. It is incredible. Instead of fearing what will happen, Max gladly reaches for the staff. Lucas and others call to him. The eldar scream in pain. Veldoran can barely believe what he sees. Elenwe uses her own power to shield everyone around the area. Kayleth reaches out towards Max. Every eldar and human present sees Max consumed by the warp power of the staff. The warp doesn't turn him to ash. Instead, he catches the spear and holds the warp back. Balrok howls in rage and tries to call to his staff; it doesn't return. Max holds the uncheck powers of the warp in his hand and stares back at Balrok. With very little effort, Max throws the staff back at him. The force is too strong for the space marine psyker to catch it. Balrok reaches for the staff only to feel his body be taken away in the air. He holds his staff and is seen flying away from the battle field in agony. The alliance is left speechless; all radio com chatter commences. Lina gets through to Lucas and questions what happen.

Lucas answers, "I…I…don't know. Something is wrong…"

Elenwe uses her warp powers to heal her allies. As she looks over her kin, many more questions come to all.

Veldoran walks to her and replies, "Did you feel what I felt?"

Elenwe agrees. Max turns back to see everyone ok; he looks over to see Kayleth still shaken and frozen; he calls to her, but she makes no movement. Max tries to walk over to her. Kayleth snaps out of her frozen state and leaps back from him. Max calls to her again only to see her pull out her sword.

Kayleth nervously replies, "Stay…away…from me. I don't know…who you are or what you are."

He replies, "What are you talking about? It is me, Kayleth."

She throws her sword at him only for Max to lean to the side and grab it from mid-air. No one didn't think he was that fast; no damage is done to his palm. Kayleth tries to move away only for her wounds to reopen. She falls to the ground and cries out in pain; Max rushes over and tries to help her only to be stopped by her howling banshees. He grips the light blue blade in hand and allows the blank abilities to frighten them back. The cold feeling forces the eldar away from Kayleth. She looks back in fear; the void feeling is there. It is as strong as it was early.

Max says, "This is why I wanted you and your kind to stay away. Look at how many times you all could have died. That space marine psyker is too powerful even for Elenwe to hold against. She would need more than just her power to put him down."

He continues to walks over towards Kayleth. She looks upon him only to see the void of death come at her. Her eldar kin leap away in fear leaving Kayleth alone. They are unable to withstand the void. Kayleth is unable to move and prays her soul isn't destroyed by the void.

He adds, "Why won't you trust and listen to me? Is your pride too much to bear the words of someone you can't trust? Do you not care what your kind think if you were to send them to their deaths? I do not want to see you suffer, Kayleth. I came close to losing you during your ritual to be sacrificed for an avatar of Khaine. I watched you almost die against Rela when you fought her. I can't allow you, your kin, or your close advisors to be in this battle no more. I need you to stay at the base and wait until we have dealt with this issue. The best thing for you to do is stay on the defensive."

Kayleth tries to muster up the strength to stand. Instead, Max snatches her up by the shoulders and demands her cooperation. A few eldar try to move in only to feel the blank powers of Max frighten them more; Kayleth tries to pull away only to feel Max grip her harder. He asks for her effort to cooperate once again. Max stops himself to see her eyes full of fear and worry. He sighs calmly and takes her by the hands. Kayleth starts to breathe heavy and nearly panics; she can feel her whole body tremble in fear. He reaches for her and stops his hand an inch from her face. She nearly lets her spirit jump out of her body. Instead of fear of dying, Max calmly rubs her cheek; he moves in closer to her.

Max calms his voice, "I apologize if I am making you uncomfortable. I am not here to hurt you or make your kin suffer. I just want you to be safe, Kayleth. Please, I am begging you to stay at the foundry and do not risk yourself or your kind. For once, I want you to trust me this time."

In a surprising display of affection, Max drops to his knees and pleads with near tearful moments for her to follow his words. Kayleth agrees to do as he wishes if it means he lets go of her. Max does so and looks around to see the others slightly shocked like before. As Max shakes off his worry and concerns, he orders the others to fall back to the foundry. Lucas comes to the front and checks in on Max. He finds his friend looking a slight mess if only for the moment. Lucas looks to see Kayleth eyeing Max with a new look. Lucas pulls his friend away and Veldoran appears beside Kayleth; the void feeling has left the area.

He says, "Are you ok, Kayleth?"

She looks at her hand and replies, "I am ok, but what was that? How did he do that?"

As the alliance of eldar and human heads to the foundry, the weaken psyker Balrok emerges from the hole in the ground. He slowly climbs up from the hole. The armor of the space marine crumbles to pieces. He bleeds from his left shoulder and the ribs on the right are cracked. Balrok looks at his staff. The painful experience gives him focus; he tries to use the warp to heal his wounds. He stops midway during the healing. Rather than waste the power to rebuild his ravaged body, Balrok strips himself of the armor. He deprives his upper torso of anything that covers him. Once done, Balrok takes his staff in hand. He begins to speak the words. Before he continues, he looks down at his hip. He screams in a fit of rage to know that it is gone.

 **Chapter 4: Section 4 – 4**

After a long battle, they nurse the wounds. The guardsmen of the imperium are amazed at how they survived. Many write down their personal thoughts in a journal. Others gossip among other imperial soldiers of what they see; none can comprehend what unfolds each time they see him in battle. The imperial guardians of the imperial army rest their body. Nothing in the galaxy can surprise them so much. From fighting daemons of the warp to battling inhuman xenos, they have seen it all or most of it. The orks of massive size and numbers die by many; the swarms of Tyranid monsters consume entire sectors. All manner of evil come to these veteran soldiers and none are afraid of what they see. As the foundry stays alert and operational, every soldier takes time to go over what they know and have seen.

In the south-western area, the eldar sit among their fellow kin. The small base has changed to resemble a majestic eldar tribe of great power. Many of the silent eldar rest easy inside their healing chambers. Several warp spiders stand perfectly still and let their body become one with the shadows; warlocks of new and old stand ready. They mediate and surround their body with warp energy. Several rangers and guardians patrol the outer region to hone their skills. From leaping to moving quietly, the eldar keep their body ready for any surprises. At the center of the eldar camp, the great wraithseer channels her warp power to heal and strengthen her kin. Elenwe reminds calm and peaceful. Through the warp, she reminds her kin that victory will always bring pain and suffering. At the center of the foundry among a few captains and trust worthy allies, they all speak in private.

One eldar scout master says, "I am not willing to risk my life and the lives of my scouts against a dangerous foe as the chaos sorcerer. I am more less incline to continue standing among them with him here. He made a being strong in the warp look like a mere child as you put it."

Carl steps forward and says, "Max did what he could to save us and you eldar scout master. You would do well to be more thankful for his abilities than continue to see him as a threat to your kind."

Shelia draws her blade and replies, "Mind your words carefully Carl. We are thankful that Noble One saved everyone, but we will never forget what he can do to us. You would do well to remember that when your time comes."

Before another word is spoken, Max raises his hand and takes the floor. The eldar back up and stand ready to strike him down. A few imperial guardians stand ready to engage.

He says, "The war against the enemy is unknown to us all. This is why I wanted the eldar to be out of the fight. Before we even touched down planet side, the enemy already knew we were here. Now, we must be better prepared for them. And we found a small clue to our mysterious foe."

Max reveals an arm length of paper with scribble written on it. He passes it to Lina for her to place it on the monitor; Max looks among the others to see Kayleth keeping herself hidden. Rather than expose her to the others, he quiets his voice. Lina goes half way through the paper before taking the floor from Max. Nearly half of the information is understood.

She says, "I can decipher only half of the reading. The rest is in an ancient text that I do not recognize."

Veldroan steps forward and looks at the scribble. In mere seconds, he manages to translate the rest of the meaning. The discovery nearly frightens him.

He turns to everyone, "The other half you can't read is written in an eldar language. It speaks of the dark one known as Malice. The text must have been translated by the hands of a human and eldar before. The mad space marine psyker must have finished what was left."

The room nearly jumps back with interest. As the monitor displays the writing on the screen for all to read, Lina and Veldoran read what is written down in words of eldar and human tongue.

She says, "During the battle of the War in Heaven, his birth was not a gentle one."

He says, "At the height of the Heavenly War, his first breath was eternal."

They both continue **: "From the moment the war raged out of control, he was given life from the conflict. The Great War gave him power that none can ever understand. Yet, somehow there was no requirement to understand what he became. The Old Ones engineered the young races with great psychic connections. In their hubris, they believed that they were creating a solution. Instead, they gave birth to something terrifying. He was the first to be among the young mortals. Shortly after the birth, they came as quickly as he did. The chaos was in its purest form; there was no need to plan out anything. Chaos was what it should have been. Everything was so magnificent. The Blood God stole the rage of the lifeforms. The God of Decay festered in their dead and diseased. The Great Conspirator changed the fate of every being. Lastly, the Princess of Pleasure promised all how pleasurable she can be. So, when the great Old Ones left, this nameless entity followed in the same manner after five years once the last was born. The last thing the new deities of the warp knew was a single name. It would be the name all would come to hate save the damned that follow in his name. That name was Malice, the Renegade God of Chaos."**

Having finished reading the last parts of the scribble, Veldoran curses and condemns the writing. Lina shows equal hatred as she tries to blast the writing away. Lucas arrives to find the room quiet as he questions his love and the warlock over the issue. After seeing the laspistol shots get absorbed, he questions the dangerous scroll in front of the people.

He says, "What has you two both in such a rage? What is this scroll?"

Lina replies, "Malice. This is a hand written script from the last few followers of Malice when he was born."

Veldoran adds, "It turns out, this Renegade God of Chaos was born during the Great War in Heaven when my kin and your ancient ancestors fought against the Necrons and the Star Gods. It is during that moment when the warp was no longer pure that he was born. Now, he seeks to return to claim what is his."

Lucas looks at the reading himself. He didn't understand what the meaning meant until it is explained to him.

Lucas says, "This information must be carefully guarded. Let us send it to them inquisition and leave it in their hands."

Veldoran interrupts, "This knowledge is best left in the Black Library. It is too risky to leave it unguarded."

Before Lucas can respond, Max says, "We will keep it for ourselves. It is best to leave such matters like this to us to look into than give our enemy an advantage."

Everyone turns to him with great interest and fear; many start to believe he is mad or suffering from want of power.

He continues, "If we give it to the inquisition, what is to stop them from condemning us as heretics? We will find a better way to inform them of this discovery least we be the ones who face down an exterminatus fleet. As for handing it over to the eldar, that may prove problematic. If eldar hands are allowed to keep more secrets from us, the mistrust will return. We are all on good terms with each other; there is no need to hide any intel from each other. Now, that we all know Malice was born during the Great War, we can embrace the knowledge with what is known of him. For now, let us keep this scroll here on Saneesh. It will be displayed for all to read and look upon in the center of the fortress. We will hide nothing from each other or anyone else. If that is all, then return to your active duty. For now, we all have to rest our nerves and mind before heading out again."

With all agreeing to his words out of fear or respect, the center command empties out. As Max heads out the door, Lina calls Max over with her lover standing by. They speak with him over the issue with his equipment. The trio journey to the assembly area of the foundry. Once there, Lina excuses nearly half of the staff to rest for the remaining day. As the three look over Max's gear, the questions come to mind.

Lucas says, "How is it that you became that much powerful? I don't know much of a space marine psyker and the abilities they have, but what you did still leaves me begging for more than just simple answers."

Max replies, "I can't really give you both an answer you seek. All I know is I did some tinkering with the gear here. Impressive work Lina, but you may have given us similar armor and weapons to match that of a space marine."

Lina overlooks the gear and says, "I like to know and hear that my work is praised, but you really didn't do anything to make yourself any better. The 'cold' feeling that everyone else feels out there when you fought the enemy came out of you by other means. It still isn't an easy thing to endure or understand."

He further questions her and she adds, "Based on what I am seeing, your slight change to your gear isn't even an improvement. It just helped you move differently. This area of the gear is meant to add more support in your swings with your sword. Instead, you altered it to where you can swing, but with a lighter hold on your arm. As for the weapon, well you just increased the power surge of the fire to where each impact will burn a being longer. In short, you just made yourself more dangerous to a foe by mediocre means."

Lucas confirms, "So, if his gear didn't enhance him blank powers, what else did? Did the enemy have something in store for us? Did the eldar being here cause it to magnify?"

Lina replies negatively. The slight shock comes to Lucas and Max.

Max looks at his hands, "I can't believe it. So nothing I did worked for me. My unknown powers just greatly increased. Please, give me some time so I can clear my head. We all must be ready for the next few days. Do what you must with my gear until I get it back from you."

Max takes his leave. Lucas sighs heavily; Lina looks at the adjustments to Max's weapon and gear. Rather than reset what he has done to it, Lina leaves it on the table. When asked why from Lucas, she happily smiles with some concern.

She says, "I trust Max did what he believes is best for himself. For now, I must put my trust in him like I do with you; however, I will keep an eye out for what he has shown us."

Lucas can't help but smile. He says, "If you trust him, so will I. For now, let us enjoy our time here. But I believe his powers did get stronger for a real dangerous reasons."

As the two hold each other tight and go over their plans, Kayleth finds herself mediating on the events of the recent battles. Instead of focus, she finds herself in need. Veldoran is resting from his battle wounds and Elenwe gathers her strength to keep the other eldar focused. She sighs and sees that the only choice now is to find someone to confine in. Kayleth leaps from the roof tops of the eldar base to the building structures of the foundry. She uses her warp vision to search among the crowd. She sees many powerful spirits dance around the night. Suddenly, a strong void feeling comes to her attention in the most familiar place of all. She journeys there and begins to shudder at what awaits. Kayleth arrives at an old battle spot. She looks over the edge to see Max standing in the cold alone. It was the same ground where the power of Khaine manifested itself in her. Kayleth leaps down to the ground area. The cold, void feeling surrounds her. She lets out a groan that alerts Max; he turns and sees her nervous.

Max says, "If it is not too much, I would like to be alone. And you know that you can't be near me too much if it hurts you or weakens you."

Kayleth replies, "I can understand you want to be alone, but I don't believe you should be. We must talk."

He sighs a little and turns to face her. Kayleth tries to join him, but she keeps her distance from Max.

She says, "It is nothing personal, I don't believe I need to be that close."

He answers, "It is ok. I am use to being alone. That is why I am out here. If it is about us, you are still not ready. If it is about what happen, then please. Do not worry; I was just concern for your welfare."

Kayleth lets her pride puff up, but she holds back her words. In her heart, she knows he is slightly right. She agrees to leave him alone and turns away. Having only taken three steps, Kayleth brushes off the idea of being hurt and decides to be foolish. Max hears footsteps close behind him; he turns back to find Kayleth closer than before. He walks towards her to see her hand slightly touch her blade. Knowing that she may use it, he steps closer. Kayleth holds her sword tightly on the handle and steps towards Max. Instead of trying to speak, Max brushes his hand against her hand. The touch forces her to back up.

She says, "I can't accept this, Max. I only want to know how did you do that? What made you stronger than him?"

He moves close to her; she looks into his eyes with nerves of fear.

Max says, "You and everyone wants to know. I still don't know why I was able to do that. All I understood was he had to be stopped. Even if he is afraid of me, I don't want you or anyone to fear me. I care too much for you."

He slowly rubs his hand on hers. The feeling makes Kayleth breath heavy and slow. With Max being so close to her, he looks into her emerald eyes. He can't help but love the way she looks. Kayleth begins to let the flame of Khaine rise out from her body. Her heart beats fast; her emotions begin to spike. Every sense of her being becomes helpless; Kayleth slowly breathes heavy more and tries to back off. She wants to run and move away, but Kayleth finds herself standing still to hear his words. As she shares a moment with him and continues to talk, everything word now relaxes them. In the moment of fear, Max looks at the sky above their head. The more he tells her what he believes, the more she listens with interest. There is no need for weapons and fists. The only thing certain is what they both know. The forces of Malice still stand as a new threat to them; they would face it together or let it divide them. The air slowly blows in their direction. It gives them a cold chill, but it is not as strong as the void is.

 **Chapter 4: Section 4 – 5**

He falls to the soil on his knees; his armor is no longer on his body. The word _failure_ meant the chances for success are now pushed back further. To lose a former follower of the dark ones is a minor let down. The idea that he lost to Max of the imperium struck a blow to him harder than anything he has ever felt. Balrok of the dark one Malice quiets his rage and continues to focus on his power. He uses all his warp power to recover his wounds. Once healed, Balrok opens a small rift in the warp to send his message to his last known masters. The message was not of success. It was of failure to bring the enemy down. Like many followers of Malice, only a few speak to communicate with each other. Balrok reports his message to his equals:

" _I have failed you in my quest. The enemy is not so willing to surrender. The plans must be pushed back further before our true God can be brought forth.; I need more power given to me. I want more to stop their advances. I call to you. In the name of Malice, please give me the power I need to destroy our enemies."_

In a flash of light, the rift in the warp opens up more. Balrok looks into the warp portal and hears a voice around him.

It says, "…I…will…give…you…what…you…need…to…continue."

The flow of the warp shoots into his body. It increases his powers, body, and soul. The power of the warp is strong within him. It nearly drives him mad. Instead of letting the warp power consume him and alter his mind, Balrok allows the power to alter his body slowly. His eyes shut tight. He can feel the change within his body. A sharp pain occurs at his hip. The breaking sound and feeling happen at various points. The strain on him is too much; the pain is great. The change is impressive. The warp energy jerks his body upward into the air. Balrok feels the warp travel through him up into the sky. He doesn't open his eyes as the pain rolls off him. There is another surge of pain in his back; a sharp cut-like feeling rips through his ribs. The pain is too much for him to bear. The strong sensations slowly drift away. He can feel his body float down to the ground. He lands softly on the ground and opens his eyes to an impressive sight to see. His hands are the same yet the warp is circling around him with ease. He looks at his legs to see that his lower torso has taken a change. The feature is demonic. Balrok looks to his shoulders and sees skulls under his skin. A human skull is on the right and an ork skull is on the left. Thanks to his newly given power, it is a fitting sight for him to enjoy. The voice calls to him again.

It says, **"Take…what…I…offer…and…survive…to…bring…death."**

Balrok humbly bows his head as the warp closes. He looks to the area around him. With just a snap of his fingers, he sets the ground ablaze with warp fire. The soil is burnt to ash; the space marine psyker joyfully claps his hands together.

He looks to the sky and shouts, "This is the true power of chaos. Do you see it, Tzeentch? Do you hear me now? I wield the true power of what chaos is at its purest form. You dare deny me what Malice is offering me? Well, know this my former dark master. Once I claim this pitiful planet from the eldar and humans, I am coming to take what is yours."

Balrok shoots his warp power into the sky; he lets the power of the warp carry his voice all over the planet. At the foundry, every eye looks to the far northern landscape. They all see it; the eldar can feel it. Every human hears the voice of Balrok calling for their demise. Each eldar can sense the strong warp power within him. The raw power of the mad psyker sends chills down the spine of the eldar. All at the foundry can hear and feel the rage coming. He expands the warp power of his abilities and speaks to all that can feel his power.

He says, _"Hear me now. Hear my voice; I am Balrok. I am the space marine psyker to the true Dark God of Chaos. My master Malice has given me more than enough power to destroy you all. Your death will empower him; you will not win. I offer you one chance to run back to your masters. Tell your human leaders that Malice will come. Speak to your remaining eldar rulers that the end is near. When the true God of Chaos comes, half of the galaxy will be at his mercy. I won't kill you all just yet. Most of you must die so that the others can spread the word. Enjoy your last moments of living."_

The fear begins to spread among the humans quickly. As the leaders and captains of the eldar prepare to leave, Lucas and Lina try to convince them to stay and fight.

Veldoran says, "We must not endanger the lives of our kin. Our only chance is to escape. I would advise you to take the moment to do so. It seems unlikely you will listen."

Lucas replies, "If we run now, he will stop you all from leaving. Your ship is more of a threat to you if you step on it."

Before any can speak, several eldar parties scream in pain. Everyone looks up to see the Faded Light vessel slowly crack in half as it comes falling down. The bone singers on the ground navigate the ship away from the foundry as best they can. The vessel lands roughly; the eldar rush over and stand ground. The humans didn't follow the reason for why they are retreating to the vessel. Elenwe comes over the Faded Light. With her warp powers fully restored, she shields her kin safely away. Before any other actions can be taken, the imperial army hears a voice speak to them.

Balrok says, _"The eldar will die here. You will die here. I hope you are prepared…"_

The message ends quickly; Lucas and others take a moment to understand the situation at hand. It didn't take long before reports of Max at the front gate to go through every ear. He takes a slow walk to the outside. He sees many forms of the warp pass over him and around his body. The air is slightly heavy and the ground has been altered; Max strolls into the open field. He comes armed with his power sword and side arm. He journeys far out away from the foundry. Before he can get far, the radio chatter comes to him.

Lucas radios him, "What are you doing? The eldar are in need of our help. Where are you going?"

Max replies back, "I know where to find the psyker at. Hold the fort and keep the eldar there. I will return. And let Lina know I am using her jet bikes to get out there."

He ends the communication by clicking off his device. Before he can advance any further, a small flickering noise is heard. Max sighs and focuses on his journey. Kayleth appears in front of him and stops his walk.

She says, "Is this really a smart thing to do? You go to face him with no support?"

Max tries to walk pass her until she surprises him. Instead of a verbal threat or a blade at his face, Kayleth extends her arm out and catches his advances.

Kayleth nervously adds, "Please…don't go and be the fool. He is more powerful than ever; I don't see how you will win this."

Max smirks and says, "I want you to return to the foundry and watch the others; I will be in no danger if I face this space marine alone. Plus, I need someone to come back to. Keep the peace and convince your kin to stay with us a little more longer."

Kayleth lets her arm drop and heads slowly back, "I can't stop you from doing as you will. Since you won't listen to reason, you have to promise…"

She gets a warm embrace from Max. Kayleth holds in her emotions; Max assures her he will return once he has dealt with the psyker of Malice. With no more words for her to hear, he urges her to return back to the foundry. Kayleth watches him go and looks at him with an unsure mind. Once again, Max catches her off guard and leaves her wondering. He climbs onto the jet bike and heads out to the source of the warp

Kayleth thought, _"Will he come back? Will he be safe? I want him to be safe. Max, please return to those that need you."_

Once Max is out of sight, Kayleth leaps back to the alliance across the landscape. Upon her arrival at the foundry, she informs everyone of what Max is doing. Many believe he has gone mad; some think he has a plan like before. As the imperial army helps their eldar allies, Carl finds Shelia angry and ready to slay anything. She grips her weapon tightly only to feel Carl touch her shoulder.

He says, "Don't worry. It will be alright. Max has a way of stopping this enemy. He will return to us alive."

Shelia shows worry in her eyes, "I can only hope that he knows what he stands against. The enemy is stronger than farseer Elenwe."

The air around him is colder than before. The winds hollow and blow in his face; it feels icy on his skin. Max bares the full might of what the land is showing him. As he journeys further into the direction of his foe, he discovers interesting sights. Orks are now frozen over. Even as mighty as they are, the beasts are ice statures. He didn't understand how cold the area is until he steps further in. The air temperature has dropped more; Max pushes on through it. After a while of traveling, he lands his jet-bike near a hill just below it. He walks up to the top of the hill and the rough terrain makes it near impossible to bear. Many thoughts race through his mind as he keeps heading up the frozen hill.

He thought, _"What will be at the top? How much stronger did our foe get? What is their plan?"_

As Max draws near the top of the hill, the air feels less cold than before. He feels his strength renewed. An unexpected surprise comes to him as he feels a familiar yet non-threating energy pass through him. Max looks around him to see the warp energy circle him; he rushes quickly up the hill. Once he is over, the sight is amazing. From the ground to the sky, the warp itself is open to him. The immense power of the warp swirls around the area. Many rifts of the warp open and close at will. A few daemons of the warp leap in and out of the small tears of reality. The sight of the area is truly amazing; Max scans the area below him. A few huts and buildings stand strong before breaking down from a tear in the warp. At the center of the warp filled landscape, he stands surrounding himself. Max journeys down into the land; his mere presence frightens off warp beings with ease. A daemon tries to stand before him; Max jumps at the direction of the daemon only for it to scream in horror at him. It didn't take long before Balrok begins to feel the change in the warp. Something is coming toward him. The warp is out of balance; a single horror is moving to him. The warp around him slowly dies down. Balrok roars in anger and lets his power stretch to the sky. At the foundry, everyone keeps watching as they all see the power of the warp expand upward. The sight causes every human to be on guard; the eldar fear and shudder at the thought of something so powerful on the planet.

Balrok lets his powers quiet down. He tries to sense the unknown being approaching him, but it fails. The sounds of a few rocks falling behind him causes the psyker to turn about and face his opponent. Balrok looks up at the top of a small house and finds Max unafraid; the unknown void feeling comes to Balrok. He takes a defense stance and waits for Max to attack. Rather than use a method of violence, Max leaps from the top of the building. He makes it to the center to speak with Balrok; Max arrives to stare at the mad psyker and clears his throat.

He says, "You came here to fight me. Or, you expect me to fight you. I am not here for a fight."

Balrok lowers his aggressive stance yet he didn't feel relax. Max approaches him and drops his gear on the ground. The psyker didn't know if this was a trap or if this was to catch him unprepared.

Max continues, "I read your scribble of the one you service. Your dark deity Malice was born during the time of the war in heaven. It turns out a single human and eldar supposedly knew of his existence. He was the first to be born from chaos itself. Then, the other dark ones were born shortly after. I have questions for you. And, I need answers as to what you want. Why do you stand against us?"

Balrok stabs the ground with his staff. A shake in the landscape travels outward to many areas. Max looks on with his eyes focused on him. His nerves feel like steel; his appetite for knowledge is wet. The mad psyker removes his helmet from his head. The warp slightly altered his head. He has horns; the eyes are black with silver irises. The raw power of the warp easily floats around him and Max. The psyker roars at Max with displeasure to stand before a blank.

Balrok says, "You dare question what you do not understand. You dare question me?"

Max proudly replies, "Then, help me understand. Why do you stand against us? Why do you fight the dark ones of chaos? What does Malice want? Who is Malice?"

The space marine psyker smiles with greatness; he is anxious yet ready for any attack.

Balrok answers, "He came to me when I was a servant of the dark one called Tzeentch. I alone heard his voice in the warp. He called to me, so I left my master and went to seek him out. The dark power of Malice called me to serve him instead of the foolish ones. Once I found him, he shared with me the knowledge of what is true power. Here, I stand before you. I stand not afraid of what the warp offers; I stand with Malice as he gives his power freely. Unlike the other master I followed, Malice gives his power freely for his has no plans. His one true purpose is to destroy everything. From the beginning of his birth, he shared with me and others why he will be the one to win the final war."

Unsure and ready to hear more, Max asks, "What is your master's wish?"

The answer comes to Max as a shot in the heart. He didn't nor couldn't comprehend what he was told. Instead of running in fear, he embraces what he now knows. At the foundry, Lucas and Lina keep everyone alert and ready as one can be. Kayleth and Veldoran stand eager and unsure. The time goes by and the hours rush on. Kayleth goes to find Lucas and asks to know if he has heard from Max. With nothing else for them to do, Kayleth leaps into a small warp portal and sings a prayer in eldar tongue.

She thought, _"You must live so that I may see you again."_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _For every lost soul in the galaxy, none are truly ready to face what is out there. Many souls are sent to war; some find what they are looking for and others continue to search for the unknown. Only the brave and bold can face what the galaxy offers them._

 **Chapter 5: Section 5 – 1**

 _"I have faced many horrors of what lurks in the galaxy. Each time I enter battle, there is no shortage of what I face and cut down. The ruthless Orks continue to burn, pillage, and destroy anything in their path; they are nothing but a wave of carnage that is without end. I pray that the galaxy will be ready the day the green skin hordes turn their attention to everyone else. The Necrons are old are undying; they are scattered far and wide. Long ago, my ancient ancestors fought and stopped the metal army and sealed them away each time they rise. Now, we are the ones that must continue to hold back the tide until the Great Evil is defeated. The mad followers of Chaos continue to impede our chances for victory. Among the deities of the warp, She Who Thirsts still hungers for our souls; we will not forget how she waits for each of us to die. Even our dark kin are not safe from her claws. Yet, hope is something I didn't expect at this point in my life."_

Two days ago, a strong psyker uses the warp and shoots it high into the sky. For those two days, everyone watches with interest. No one could predict what was going on in the territory miles away from the foundry. They saw the intense power of the warp cut through the sky; the powers of the psyker seem limitless. None didn't say for sure what happen. All they remember is seeing the warp rise up and stop. In those two days of retreating back to the fortress and waiting, no one didn't say a word. Everyone was quiet as the days went on; many didn't know what to say about what they saw. The only thing that is certain is what they do recall. A single man walked from the their base to face what is out there; the last known location of his whereabouts was near the same area of the strong warp blast. That was two days ago and now the fourth day has come. At the center of the foundry, every monitor is being used to scan for life signs. In his attempt to find him, he roars and shoves everything to the floor.

He roars, "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

The shouting and throwing alerts the others. The Lord General comes over to view the mess he made. Many begin to question his resolve; however, his leader assures them that everything is fine.

Lucas says, "You seem to be highly frustrated in your searches. Is everything alright?"

Carl of the Imperial Guardians answers, "Sir, it has been nearly four days since he last left. Did he do the right thing by letting us not go with him? Did we do right by the Emperor?"

Before an answer is given, a loud commotion occurs in the main hall. Lucas rushes there as fast as he can and keeps hearing radio chatter of a possible break in the alliance; he issues out the order of no hostile intent towards anyone. Upon his arrival at the main hall, he finds her standing ready to unleash her fury. All four metal attachments hold up a field of energy; a blast of warp energy is cancelled out by the energy shield. In front of her, the enchanter stands strong and ready to burn her body away if she dares turn her fury against him. Lucas calls to both of them; however, she ignores his reply and charges up the core of an unstable device. The _Blessed Techno Woman_ is ready to send herself to the grave soon. The great enchanter of craft world Alaitoc raises his hands to the air. A small sphere of warp fire is formed; he gathers as much as he can. Just as both are ready to begin, Lucas jumps in the center of the two. She turns off the device; he lowers his hands.

Lucas says, "What in the name of the Golden Throne are you both doing? Why do you turn on each other?"

Veldoran replies, "Your close companion is upset with me for hearing the truth. She refuses to accept what I believe has happened to your friend."

Lina answers, "Damn you, xeno scum. You don't know if he is dead or alive. I don't recall a great warp user of Alaitoc being able to find one of their spirit stones among the dead unless _She_ has claimed them."

The words sting sharply at his pride; Veldoran lets a small ball of warp power circle in his hands. Lina is ready to eliminate his power; Lucas continues to calm the two until a warp portal opens beside him. She steps with ease and orders the warlocks back away. Veldoran lowers his warp power. Instead of words, he nods his head and leaps through his own warp portal. Lucas waits for her to turn and face him; he begs Lina to wait at her station. Her trust in the commander is at a low. Despite the need to remind him of what they face, Lina obeys his command and leaves. Lucas demises all from the main hall. Once they are alone, Lucas speaks with the leader of the eldar.

He says, "I apologize for her rude behavior. She and my second-in-command have been on edge since the last two days."

Kayleth agrees, "It is understandable. I only wish things were more different. Our ship has been repaired from the damage done to it. Like you, we are lost without a sense of where to go next. For now, my kin will keep their distance until something comes up. If nothing else, we shall take our leave of you."

Lucas nods and takes his leave of her. Before he goes out, she says, "Do you believe he is truly dead?"

He sighs and says, "I want to believe he is gone and dead; however, I am not ready to accept that fact yet. We will give it two more days before we head back to Saneesh. If nothing else, we will continue to hold this side of the galaxy."

In his heart and mind, his friend is dead. Every bit of his being told him to accept what he knows. There has been no communication from him; there is no reports from the scouts out in the field. All that remains are small bands of orks. Lucas issues out more orders for the patrols to continue searching in a new area and eliminate any ork parties. Once done, he goes to find Lina in her work shop. He walks in to see her making adjustments to her equipment and attachments. Lucas pauses a few moments to notice her new improvements to her system have greatly been improved on. With nothing else for him to do, he comes to her with his mind heavy and heart yearning to hear her concerns.

He clears his throat and asks, "Are you ok, Lina?"

She ignores his words.

Lucas walks to her and says, "So, what is this new feature your attachments have allowed you to stop warp powers? I hope you will stay more on repairs than thinking of combat."

Lina answers, "It is mostly a new feature for you to use. I figured out some of the problems with it. Once I get it going, the skitarii squads will be more effective in combat should any other warp user or psyker battles them. I already calculated the risk of prolong usage and made more adjust to the harness. You see this part here? This part is where clamps will lock onto the arm, shoulder, or lower back. Once attached, the device will turn on. I made sure that the power source will be used from solar energy…"

He pulls her away from the device and holds her. She looks at Lucas with eyes of worry and wrath.

Lucas says, "I understand you made these devices, but you can take a break. The only problem now is the orks. And you dodged my question. Are you ok, my love?"

Lina removes her scanner from her head; her glass section of her brain is exposed. Lucas rubs his hand over it down to her face. He unattached her additional pieces of her equipment. With her worries still passing from her mind, Lucas presses his lips to hers. He tightly embraces her with assures her that everything is alright.

She says, "I apologize for my behavior towards Veldoran. I know the eldar are with us for now, but I want our friend to be found. He can't be dead yet. There is still so much for us to see."

At the camp just south west of the foundry, they stand silent and wait for danger. Like stone statues, the eldar howling banshees look on with keen eyes and alert minds. As the rangers and scouts travel into the cold territories, the main force stays back and waits for danger. At the center of the camp, the Wraithseer Elenwe mediates. Her powers are unmatched and powerful. For the eldar of Alaitoc to have a Wraithseer in their camp is truly a marvel. Elsewhere, Veldoran focuses his warp powers to an extent and uses his abilities to calm his inner rage. Kayleth appears before him. As much as she would agree with his statement, there is still hope within her.

She says, "Veldoran, I expected better from you."

He replies, "And what did you expect Autarch Kayleth? I do not believe in the false hope of his return. He went willingly and must have known that his end would not be gentle."

Kayleth shakes her head in disappointment and says, "I use to believe that as well; however, my view on him has changed greatly. Since our time with his friends and the others, we have seen him do the impossible. Why do you now doubt that this time will be different?"

Veldoran calmly stands and answers, "That psyker of Malice used more warp power than Elenwe and myself could muster. The very warp itself bleeds from him and cracked the Faded Light nearly in half. I want to believe that defeating the space marine psyker was possible, but I believe it would have taken all of us to do so. Now, he went alone and faced him alone. How can he survive that?"

With no words of assurance from her, Kayleth agrees with Veldoran that the space marine psyker did prove he is a dangerous threat. She excuses herself from the others and heads out towards the edge of the base; Kayleth uses her warp power to see far and wide. There is nothing to find. No warp signature is found. No soul is glowing; in fact, no void presence is detected. In her own thoughts, she wants to believe and agree with her warlock friend.

Kayleth thought, _"Did he die against the enemy? Did he not feel what we all could sense from the him? Why? Why did you go alone to face what you are not ready for?"_

After she stops using her warp powers, Kayleth whispers a small prayer. For all that they have endured, nothing still prepares them for this. Kayleth returns back to her kin; the factions of order continue to search. As the fourth day ends, many try to enjoy their night among each other. Several guardsmen continue to read up and talk among each other; the imperial guardians keep switching up teams of patrols to go out and find him. The eldar warriors calm their inner thoughts. Many eldar scouts and rangers are sent to search for several ork invested areas. At times, both groups of scouting parties join their efforts. In the end, none are but the successful skirmishes against the green skins. As the imperial army and eldar continue to wait, the same question continues to pound away in their mind.

 _"Where are you, Max?"_

 **Chapter 5: Section 5 – 2**

The last sun rise comes over the horizon; they all awake to see the day is finally here. The search is over and they can't wait no longer. The masses cry out for the return to home; Lucas gives the orders to gather up the remaining supplies. The time is over and home calls to them. As the eldar smile joyfully over the rise of the Faded Light, many imperial guardians give their farewells to their xeno friends. Some enjoy the bonds of friendship with the eldar; many imperial guard soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder with their new found friends. As Lucas and Lina look on with some sadness in their heart, they are joined by Kayleth and Veldoran. The feeling is mutual for both pairs.

Lucas sighs, "Well it was a great time, but I am sure you are meant to be elsewhere. So, may you find what you are looking for."

Veldoran nods his head, "And may your home shine forever more in the eyes of the righteous. I apologize to you Lina if I said anything offensive."

Lina pats his shoulder, "It is alright. You only spoke what many of us do not wish to accept. You be safe."

Kayleth adds, "This may be grim for us now, but we all know that this is not the end times any more. We shall hope for your support against the dark ones when it is time. Hopefully, mankind and my kin will stand together."

Lucas, Kayleth, Lina, and Veldoran all look to see everyone standing together. Is this the future they will make? The eldar standing beside the humans? None of them could see far into what will come to them; however, they stand proud knowing that at any time a change can occur. Before they join their allies, Lina listens in on her com channel. A device out in the open field from the foundry goes off. Veldoran shudders; Kayleth grins her teeth. Lina roars loudly and reappears on the surface before all to see. The eldar become alert; the imperial guardians grip their rifles.

Wraithseer Elenwe shouts, "Someone is coming here!"

Kayleth allows her warp power to show. Lucas calls to her with questions.

She says, "So, he has killed Max and dares to come here? I shall not allow him to stop us now."

Veldoran uses his warp powers of fire to encase his weapon in. He rushes with Kayleth to the south eastern gate. Lucas alerts the War Harbinger to be combat ready. The eldar and imperial army move to the south east gate of the foundry. All the alarms ring loudly; the warp signals ring loudly. It didn't take long for everyone to be ready for what is coming towards them. The groups of dire avengers, rangers, and war squadrons take aim; the masses of imperial soldiers stand next to their allies. They all can feel it now. The warp signal is strong. Lina instructs everyone to be ready for combat. Veldoran instructs the other warlocks to be ready to strike; Kayleth readies herself to strike at the enemy. Lucas joins the howling banshees. With Carl and Shelia leading the van of the forces, everyone stands ready.

The ground feels heavy with each step; the air is thick and cold. How many days has it been since that incident? How long was their fight? The warp shoots out in every direction. It is overwhelming; the signal is getting stronger. The pain of his presence is annoying. For the eldar, it is an open wound and the warp is the blood. The amount of warp power bleeding out from this person is tremendous. A handful of imperial guardsman fall back. Many complain of the pain and noise. A few eldar step back. Lucas walks forward and feels the raw power of it. Lina jumps aboard the next shuttle to the War Harbinger; she didn't want to go, but she honors her lover's request. Veldoran teleports to the Faded Light. The annoying warp is now becoming a deadly attack to him. Kayleth looks out into the distance and uses her warp powers to see further. All her eyes can see is warp energy pour out into every direction; she retreats back to the front line where Lucas braves the danger with Shelia and Carl. Elenwe joins them to face the coming threat; it feels too dangerous even for them to withstand.

Lucas contacts Lina by com channel, "What does the War Harbinger see? Can you fire a shell at it?"

Lina replies, "Negative, negative. The system is being thrown off by what is coming to us. I can only use the main cannon, but that is too close to your position…"

He asks, "Can we survive the blast and if so, what percentage?"

Lina is silent for a moment before she says, "At least 5% will have to be enough for us to retreat."

Lucas proudly accepts the danger close effect. Even if it means being thrown back or hit by debris, the imperium of mankind comes first. Lina sends out alerts to all aboard the war ship for firing the main cannon. She issues orders for ground forces to be ready for a strong after shock. After the arrangements are made and the cannon is ready to fire, everyone feels the warp energy stop no more than two to five miles out from them. Lina orders the firing of the main cannon as fast as possible. Once charged at five percent, the cannon launches a shell at the area just three miles ahead of everyone where the warp signal is. Lucas orders for everyone to brace; Elenwe shields the area with a barrier. To everyone's surprise, the blast didn't do anything. There is no explosion; no amount of rumble is made. Only thing certain is the fear is rising; Lucas steps forward once the strength of the warp is slightly weaker. Kayleth, Carl, and Shelia step with him. Suddenly, the warp signal is within the foundry. Everyone turns around to feel a strong presence in the center yet it feels weaker than ever. Lucas orders all to quickly rush to the center; Kayleth fiercely cries for the eldar to teleport as close as possible. The Faded Light and War Harbinger steer to the center of the foundry. A massive surge of warp power shoots straight up into the sky. Lina contacts Lucas that the warp signal is slowly dying; he hurries all to the center and Kayleth leaps through a warp portal.

Upon her arrival at the center, she looks down from the wall to see him standing there alone. A jet-bike is resting by his side. The remaining eldar keep their distance and appear on the wall. It has to be done correctly; there can be no mistake. One miscalculation will be her end. Kayleth breathes easy with steady breathes. She focuses her mind on what can happen. As the humans move around the area, Kayleth shuts her eyes and waits. Her thoughts drift around and bring her imagination to him. The only human to ever love her so fiercely is gone. The roaring sound of Carl causes Kayleth to look down. He charges in and swings his sword only to be tripped; Shelia leaps at the attacker, but she feels slow. The opponent easily knocks her attack away from him. Kayleth refocuses her energy only to feel something pulling at her warp power. Lucas comes in and suddenly he feels cold. The caped person gets surrounded by everyone. Every gun and weapon is ready to fall on him. The rage would continue if not for the cold feeling. Kayleth calls to everyone to halt their advance and Lucas orders all soldiers to stand down. She leaps down to the soil; he steps forward. Something is wrong. The caped person turns to them both; he points at the duo. He reveals his face to all. By the grace of all that is holy, Max Johnson stands before everyone. He helps Carl up and apologizes for tripping him. Shelia is pulled up by her arm. No one didn't understand anything. Lucas walks over and examines him closely.

He says, "How…how…is this even possible?"

Max replies, "I will explain everything. Please, let's step inside the command center. There is must to tell."

Lucas sends the word out on the appearance of Max. Many boast of his return being seen by the Emperor of Mankind; the majority brag about his journey being a vision. Max turns to see Kayleth. She looks at him with eyes of surprise and wonder. Instead of approaching her, he replies only with words of relief.

He says, "We can talk later. Right now, I need all of the important ones in the room with me. Your kin will want to hear this too. Please, I want you there too."

She agrees and turns away. Kayleth nearly jumps out of her skin and believes that Max will surprise her. Instead, she turns around to see him walk to the command center.

Kayleth thought, _"What has happened? Did he learn something?"_

All of the higher ups gather in the room. From Captain to Lieutenant, they are eager to see what is going on. Even the eldar of Alaitoc are in complete surprise to see Max standing before them. Once everyone is in, all eyes fall on Max. He reaches under his cloak and tosses out a sight none believe is remotely possible. The helmet of Balrok lays on the floor in front of everyone; it is stained in blood and remaining warp energy. The entire room nearly backs up and looks at Max with more shock again. Veldoran steps to the center; he picks up the helmet.

He turns to Max and says, "Did you slay the space marine?"

Max answers, "No, I didn't get the chance to do so. He did something to evade my last strike. All I brought back was his helmet. It turns out that the space marine was dying and being reborn again from the side effects of the warp."

Lucas questions the meaning. Max continues, "As we dueled against each other, every blow I gave him further weakened his abilities as a psyker in the physical world. In return, the weaker his got physically, the stronger his warp presence became. He used every warp ability on me. So, when I did manage to lay a blow on him, he found himself less powerful against me. Before he died, he used one final power on him only for him to die from it. From that painful death, he was reborn. The helmet shot off his shoulders; he was no longer a human. Now, he is a being of the warp completely."

Many soldiers try to praise Max for being their solution against any form of evil; he calmly dismisses the idea from their head.

Kayleth asks, "Did you learn anything else from him that may help us?"

He lowers his head briefly, then looks at everyone. A hush falls on the people.

Max replies, "I learned enough from him. For now, we will return back to Saneesh and refit out ship. Time is of the essences. And I promise to let you all know what is to come next. I need to rest myself from battling him."

Everyone agrees with the steady plan to return home; many become excited to see home again. The last few loads aboard the War Harbinger are quick. Once everything is ready to go, the alliance use the FTL drives to jump for Saneesh with only a two-month journey there. As the steady trip back home is filled with chats and gossip, Max finds himself fully well rested and able. He rushes to level one anxious to speak with Lucas and Lina. He finds the pair going over reports, inventory, and repairs. Once Max joins them, they dismiss everything else to hear his words.

Lina begins, "This ship has no end of talk with your name being spoken. Everyone has your name at the tip of their tongue. The tech priests speak of the chances you should have died; the imperial guardsmen believe you are the next coming of the new Lord Solar. Many ogryns think that your abilities are from the Emperor himself. The most damning statement one told recently has been Max Johnson is a Blank Saint to the Imperium of Man. I swear by the Golden Throne you are a story out of a book to these people."

Lucas adds, "It is true. You have many Imperial Guardians convinced that the End Times is no longer going to ever happen. For now, I can share some of their noteworthy statements; however, I only believe what I see. Right now, between you and the Avenging Son's rebirth, the enemy won't be prepared for us and victory is coming to us."

Max chuckles and says, "I assure you both that I am no Saint let alone is the Emperor of humanity guiding me. For now, these are events that do not play an important role in the galaxy's main theater. There is more I must tell everyone about what the Sons of Malice have planned. The plans they have don't just include us, but the whole galaxy if we don't stop them."

With their course to home set and lock, the eldar relax with ease aboard the ship. With more of their kin coming from the hidden web way aboard the Faded Light, many begin to train their mind and harden the skills needed to survive. The masters of the scouting give critical advice to recruits about the many mammals in the galaxy; they go into detail on ways to kill, hunt, or tame them. The howling banshees keep their young ones high on alert with each task they are given. The pack leaders of each howling banshee shows the lesser ones that many more moves are still useful when least expected. Despite all their wonderful combat and advanced mastery over warfare, the eldar of high ranking show the young ones that the humans will always be as ruthless as they are. The most talked about issue is the blank named Max. As Kayleth finishes up her mediation, Veldoran joins her.

He says, "It would seem that our return to Saneesh is an important task. Why else should we associate with the humans since they have nothing more to tell us?"

Kayleth replies, "Max has information that can prove useful to us should we encounter the Sons of Malice again. We are on peaceful terms with them; I see no other reason to leave too soon."

Veldoran shows signs of uncertain thoughts. Kayleth asks him what troubles his thoughts.

Veldoran says, "Max is the only thing that is troubling me. He brings back the helmet of a space marine. A space marine is one of the _mon-keigh's_ greatest fighters yet Max brings us a helmet like a trinket. He is proving to be too dangerous for us to be near Kayleth. The more he is allowed to unlock his abilities, the more of a risk we put ourselves at his mercy. I would prefer we no longer remain so close to the humans."

Kayleth agrees, "I understand. For him to defeat a psyker as strong as Balrok was is no easy feat. He has put more some fear into our mind than ever; however, I trust him enough that he won't hurt me or any eldar. Retire and think on it later. Once we hear this information, we shall depart from their company."

Veldoran honors her words, but he still feels that a mistake shall fall on them. Kayleth recalls the events of Max being firm with her. His words of caution gave her fear yet with a caring hand; the need to see her safe is strong, but he dares not to risk her being sacrificed to battle. Every emotion he has shown her has been about her. She finds the notion troubling to see even after all she said. No other answers are open to give her a reason to understand it; Kayleth rests her arms by her waist only to suddenly gasps. She jumps forward and looks down to see if Max has a hold on her. She is alone.

She whispers, "Oh no, I feel something…what is this…?"

 **Chapter 5: Section 5 – 3**

The surface is covered in strong heat; the metal is slowly burning from the outside. A spike in the temperature reading is high. It still holds and endures. The heat is brief and slowly cools down. Once it passes, the entry to the surface is easy. The view is still an incredible sight; none can still believe that home is still so bright. The numbers are still many. As wonderful as the fortress is, the time to begin will be soon. The War Harbinger guides itself to the landing pad. The activity aboard the ship is everywhere. It didn't take long for the soldiers to jump on the shuttles and go to their sections of the fortress. As Lucas and Max issue out the last orders, they are joined by Lina. The trio and their eldar allies fly by shuttle to the command center. With Carl now riding with the able body leaders, he feels honored by their presence yet unsure.

Max says, "Well, this place has improved greatly. The reports are pretty massive in all sectors. We now have six to seven areas; how many more people are we getting?"

Lina answers, "Well, before we left, my last report from high command informed me of the additional population coming out here to live with us. A space marine chapter would have been added, but due to **Warp Threats** in the east and north-east galaxy, they had to be recalled."

Lucas looks over to Carl and calls to him.

Lucas asks, "Why do you look as if you swallowed a piece of Kroot droppings?"

Carl nervously replies, "It is not that; it is where I stand at. I am in the same shuttle with you three. I am barely still an Imperial Guardian yet I stand with the main people of this imperial enclave. Lina is the _Blessed Techno Woman_ of the imperial army; her skills at repairing the machine spirit is beyond amazing. She can understand most technology that none have yet to fully comprehend. The tech-priests and the skitarii squads follow her every word. Max Johnson is the _Noble One_ that can save us all from evils none of us dare to face. He is a blank and has no presence against the warp monsters; it was Max that saved us during our hardship on Saneesh when we believed all else was lost. Now he commands with the respect and authority of an imperial commander. Lastly, you Lucas are the _Lord General Militant_ of the entire imperial army here. You started off as a regular soldier, then later became a sergeant. Long after the fall of Commander Vance _the Bright,_ you were given the title of _Lord General_. You, Max, and Lina have inspired us to fight with the same strength, might, and skill you have. I am just a lowly soldier unfit to be in your shuttle. What can I do to show you better?"

Lucas burst out laughing; the laughter causes the others to look over with low chuckles.

He says, "This is why you are perfectly fine around us. Truth be told, I was scared as much as you are. But, I have seen you fight at the front where all others have run. Shelia of the howling banshees considers you an ok fighter. The answer to your question on how to be better is to just step up and try. You will fall, stumble, fail, and even come close to death and probably die. The only real question is: do you want to go out as a proud person of the imperial guardians or on your knees begging for a quick end?"

As the ship lands at the platform, they gather up their stuff. Carl takes to heart what Lucas expects him to do or learn from. With everyone else being reunited with their loved ones and lovers, the four head deep into the central hall of the base. Built like an ancient church and dedicated to the Emperor of Mankind, they head into the vast opening and take a moment to breathe easy. It didn't take long before the moment is interrupted by the appearance of four web way gates in the chamber. The first eldar parties step from the warp portal. Shelia of the howling banshees greets the others. Next, Veldoran comes through with his powers radiating off his body. The next warp portal increases in size and Wraithseer Elenwe steps forward. Lastly, Kayleth comes through her own only to see him. Her words are stuck inside her mind; she can't speak what she truly wants. As the imperial leaders and eldar leaders relax around their allies, they all look to Max.

Lucas says, "I made sure every soldier has a shore leave and patrol patterns to do for the next few hours. They won't come here to see us."

Lina adds, "My tech teams are busy with study; the skitarri squads are making any adjustments they can. They will be at it for as long as they need to be."

Elenwe steps forward, "Our kin rest easy and many more are alert. We now have a moment to hear what you will say about the Sons of Malice."

Max stretches and steps forward, "I want to tell you guys first because you must hear it before we let everyone else know. Right now, we face the Sons of Malice and orks. The psyker revealed something to me before he left into the warp. He said that his dark deity wants to see the entire galaxy fold in on itself. His plan is not a perfect one, but it is meant to bring him into this reality."

He continues, "Malice has only one simple goal: He wants the entire galaxy at war and in utter chaos. The followers of Malice will bring him to their home world by sacrifice; he will feed off their death and use it to be ready. Right now, he is as strong as the Four Dark Gods of Chaos. As they wage war against each other, he is growing stronger each time. He has more followers in their war bands than many know of. Once the final battle begins, he will use every death in this galaxy to increase his own power. After he has enough, he will destroy the other Gods, deities, warp beings, and psykers to continue getting stronger. That is what the psyker told me before he left. Right now, the Sons of Malice have a chance now that they have seen us. With our death being added to the others they have taken, it will increase the chances of his birth. Yes, we are small problem for them; however, the eldar are an equal threat to their plan as I am."

Shelia interrupts him and says, "You want us to help you stop him for the right reasons despite how deadly the enemy is. Where does this leave our kin, Max?"

Max replies, "This leaves all of us in a private war against them. I don't know where they are coming from, but they must be stopped. I am a threat to them; however, they seem to want to stop the eldar from helping us which explains why that damn psyker wanted to sacrifice the eldar."

Veldoran asks, "So, you are asking us to be at risk again? What do we benefit from this if we take on this foe? Have enough eldar died for your foolish cause?"

Carl lets his rage flare up and says, "You benefit by collecting lost relics, more eldar, and seeing your kind saved from a dangerous threat just like us. That is what lies before you, Veldoran. Don't think for a second that you lost more than we have. The death toll on both sides is equally high."

"Ugh, so we are to be at your side when your people die? Worthless," said Kayleth. She continues, "We have our own pressing matters to look into for our people. Your kind must take this fight alone to the enemy. The last thing we need to do for you is save your people from death."

Lina answers, "Typical eldar. Once you have what you need, you are ready to go back into your web way gates. I do recall that you are mostly alive thanks to _his affection_ for you, Autarch of Alaitoc."

Kayleth nearly allows her rage to show until Max steps forward, "We don't have time for this. I understand we all have our own personal affairs to handle, but this problem is more of a danger to us than you all know."

Kayleth asks, "Since when do you speak for my kin and decide when we must fight for you, _mon-keigh_?"

The area feels cold and hollow as Max turns his focus to Kayleth. Veldoran, Shelia and Elenwe nearly jump away only to see the open wound on Max. His blank abilities stretch around as Kayleth nearly backs up in fear.

He says, "You don't need to die by my words or their words alone. I am asking you and your kin to continue fighting beside us."

Lucas calls to Max; he slowly lets the void feeling quiet down. Kayleth, Veldoran, Shelia and Elenwe nearly draw their weapons on him; the tension is heavy.

Max says, "I am sorry for the hasty remark, but we are friends are we not? Can you not at least give yourself a few days before you rush off to your own wars?"

As the able leaders continue their discussion, the eldar didn't see any advantages for them coming. Max only sees a threat; Kayleth views a waste of their time. Shelia and Carl support their reasons.

Elenwe steps forward, "We will look into the future and warp to see where our path takes us should we continue to follow you. If the Sons of Malice still present a threat to us, we shall be there to assist you and stop their plan."

Lucas adds, "The Sons of Malice are real enough for me. Once they are done taking out more enemies on both sides, who do you think they will come for first? The Necron armies may be first to go; the Tau Empire will probably lend us their arms should we require them to help us. The ork hordes around the galaxy won't care so long as they can fight. Even the Tyranid swarms won't bother to deal with them until they present a real threat. For now, we all should stay around each other and continue to help one another."

Shelia replies, "You may do what you want. We have what we need and see that nothing you say will be coming at us."

The eldar take their leave. Before she leaves, Shelia stays back a while to speak with their allies.

She says, "I apologize for any harsh words said on my part. My leaders know what they must do for us, but we will only be there if there is a threat to us."

Carl replies, "You have no need to apologize for what you are doing for your own. If any more danger comes to us, we will stop it. For now, we all had a long day. We will speak in two days."

Shelia bows her head and leaps through the portal. Carl turns to see the others look at him with eyes full of surprise.

Max asks, "Since when did you decide when the meeting was over?"

Lucas adds, "He is right. I don't recall saying you can tell us when this is over."

Lina slaps both Lucas and Max atop their head, "You two do enough gatherings. Carl did just fine with the message. In two days, we will sit down again and talk. Plus, you are in enough trouble as it is."

Max and Carl head out the door to excuse themselves. Once alone, Lucas tries to question what Lina means until she wraps her arms around him. She kisses him gently and smiles seductively.

She says, "I am finally glad to be alone with you. Your woman needs your time."

Lucas blushes slightly and replies, "Ok, ok. You made your point very demanding. For now, we will put our affairs on hold to relax. I did keep a promise to you. I will honor it."

With the two lovers keeping to themselves, Carl and Max head back to their own areas of interest. As the night time begins, the fortress of Saneesh is alive with activities. Imperial Guardsmen and Imperial Guardians patrol the streets of their town in standard formation; they sweep the outer edges of the land to seek out orks that are trying to sneak in. From small skirmishes to hit-and-run tactics, the imperial army shows no pause in their desire to keep their area safe. At the front of the lines, they witness his devotion being matched by his skill. He slays an ork by lopping off his head. Before an ork nob can clobber him to death, he whirls around and strikes at the heart. The nob falls; two more orks attempt to overcome him. One gets a bolter round into its skull. The other receive a sword through the head. A preacher of the imperium joins the man by his side as a chain sword cuts down the next nob. He lifts his sword high above his head and calls to him fellow soldiers of war.

Carl shouts, "For the Imperium of Mankind!"

The soldiers cry, "Long live the Emperor of Mankind! We shall not fail him!"

As the guardsmen and guardians of the imperium march on, they keep the orks drawn to their attention until enough have died. Elsewhere, the orks look around the trees for pieces of scrap to have. They find old weapons from another ork just laying around the area; there is not enough loot for them to collect. One ork walks off to a nearby tree. It looks upon the tree to see a thin set of lines. Just as it tries to touch the lines, something gets shoved through its head. The ork never gets a chance to roar. As the dead ork falls backwards, the blood stained weapon is a long spear. With quick feet and fast reaction, the orks come under attack by the Eldar of Alaitoc. The ork mobs try their best to counter against the enemy, but none can match the new approach the eldar use. For every attack the orks try to anticipate, a second eldar warrior slashes at their back. The mobs of orks try to flank the eldar only to be countered by eldar warp spiders. In the center of the battle, she lifts her voice high and causes the orks to run away to try and bring more.

Shelia says, "The orks are no match for the craft of Alaitoc. Let us send these hordes of green skin to their graves."

As the silent eldar keep the orks off balance, the eldar camp is quiet. There is no sudden movement and zero sound. The winds push against the grass; the base is protected by warp spells known only in eldar tongue. As the eldar stand waiting, their leader rests her mind. She dreams of a time when peace was within the eldar hands. Now they face damnation and destruction of their soul by _Her_ hands.

 **Chapter 5: Section 5 – 4**

The world of Alaitoc is beautiful. Many eldar of high ranking stand before her eyes. They speak of their greatness when the Old Ones blessed them with knowledge of the universe; it is truly an honor to be one of the young ones among the many. They celebrate and honor the eldar for achieving their first sword. The high ranking leader bestows upon them the title: _**Young Alaitoc Warrior of Khaine**_. Before any more celebration begins, the eldar leader receives word of danger from his scout master. As young Kayleth admires her own sword, she feels an uncertain scratch at her heart; she goes to her trainer and begs for answers. Just as she is about to speak, a terrible birth cry is heard from the center of the eldar empire. As young Kayleth looks out into the distant stars, she feels the horror fall on her. A powerful farseer and warlock step forward; they combine their powers to raise a warp barrier up around the world of Alaitoc. As powerful as it was, the birth cry of the unknown evil rips their souls out from their body.

The surviving eldar of Alaitoc look out into the stars; they see a horror that smiles upon them with great desire. It drools with great appetite; he eyes them all carefully around the edges of the galaxy. She calls to have her hunger satisfied by the souls of all the eldar. The eldar of Alaitoc look out to see, hear, and know that a terrible evil now hungers for their soul. Kayleth finds herself looking at her hands; she sees blood dripping from her palms. The emotion she feels is desire. Her rage is strong; she smiles calmly to know that this is what she seeks.

Kayleth thought, _"What is this? Why does this feel so strong?"_

As the dreams ends, Kayleth shoots out of her sleep mode. She looks at her hands to see them ok and feels her mind twist with a burn. With no hesitation, she leaps out of the eldar camp into a random warp portal. The entry from the web way portal lands her away from her kin; Kayleth falls to her knees and groans slightly. She feels her eyes change color. Her mind is strong with desire and need. Kayleth grips her weapon by the handle. Instead of swinging it, she takes her rage down and walks around the landscape. She uses her warp power to turn on her stealth mode. As she leaps from the roof top of buildings, Kayleth looks at the humans. Many enjoy their time talking about tales of valor and honor. She moves to the next area; some speak of their eldar allies and unusual places. With her rage disappearing, Kayleth takes one last trip to the east landscape of the fortress. She leaps through the warp and reappears on a small edge of land by the sea. As she looks at the water, she sees a darkness spread over her. What is this need and desire that is trying to consume her? Where is it coming from?

Kayleth thought, _"Why is this happening to me?"_

As she listens to the sound around her, the peace she seeks is disturbed by a small shuttle from the imperial fortress. Kayleth turns to face the approaching shuttle; she uses her warp power to cloak herself among the shadows and shades. The shuttle lands and Max steps out. He is dressed for combat and ready to swing his sword. He approaches the edge of the land next the rolling water from the sea; Kayleth watches him with great interest. With a few short breathes, Max pulls out his sword and swings it proudly. He enters the hawk stance; his sword is high above his head. Max makes a move with the weapon and Kayleth sees it coming. Each swing is slow and easy to counter. Every thrust is easy to dodge; the technique is weak and barely leaves room for defense. Her thoughts slowly slip into combat as he continues. Now, his moves are beautiful. The technique is full of grace. Kayleth grips her blade. She lets out a small moan and watches him go; her heartrate is slow and steady. She begins to lose focus.

Kayleth thought, _"He is amazing. I find him amazing yet he is nothing to me."_

With Max picking up the pace, Kayleth breathes heavy and hard. She lets out a small moan before leaping out at Max and striking his blade. The sound of their blades striking together snaps her out from the daze. Max looks at her with a confused look, but he is surprised by her being there.

He says, "Umm Kayleth, why are you here?"

She slowly pulls away and slowly lets her true emotion be kept hidden from him.

Kayleth replies, "I was watching your performance of the sword. You are a decent fighter; however, your attacks are weak and predictable."

She pulls away and squeezes her herself tightly. Max looks at her with some wonder and concern. He slowly approaches her and calls to her. She feels the same feeling as before.

Max says, "Kayleth, are you ok? You aren't hurt are you?"

Kayleth breathes slightly heavy and moans ever so softly. She shakes off the daze quickly and turns to him.

She says, "Max…I…I must tell you something important."

He places his sword away and looks at her with curious eyes. Her heart beats with a thousand notes. Each pulse is an echo that feels strong. Just as Kayleth is about to speak, something comes from the bushes behind them. The pair turn and face whatever comes from the bushes. From the shadows of concealment, she steps forward. Her eyes are wide open with blood dripping from her lips. She wears light body armor and displays the mark of Malice. She smiles at the pair and stands ready to fight both of them. Kayleth moves beside Max with her weapon drawn and ready; Max stands firm and ready to fire his pistol.

He says, "I see you are good at staying hidden. What do you want? You won't win against us."

The silent woman smiles and says, "I have come here for you."

Kayleth slightly widens her eyes and steps in front of Max.

She says, "You will not take him; he is not yours."

The silent woman tilts her head sideways and looks confused. She scratches her head.

She answers, "I am not here for him."

Max presses her for questions. Instead of a reply, the woman moves faster than what they expect. Kayleth feels her back receive a cut from a blade. She stumbles forward and howls in pain; Max looks around to see the warrior woman stop in front of them. Kayleth tries to use her warp powers. A sharp pain occurs to her; she finds herself weaker than ever and unable to stand. Max stays near her; he helps her up and sees the usual look in her eyes. Instead of blue or flaming irises, the eyes of Kayleth now show a slight red orange.

The mysterious woman says, "You care for her that much. Such a shame you won't be able to hold her for long."

Max holds his sword forward. The warrior woman smiles and crashes her fist into his jaw. The force behind her attack sends Max falling backwards. He feels dizzy; the legs turn to jelly. Max tries to focus his vision on what is in front of him. There she is now being held hostage; Kayleth has more scars on her arms and legs. Something is wrong.

Kayleth struggles to break free only to receive a stab in her shoulder. The pain is too much for her to handle; it nearly breaks her spirit.

She says, "How are you stronger than me?"

The warrior woman replies, "I am what he is."

Max stands on his feet and damns the attacker.

He says, "What do you mean? How are we the same?"

The warrior woman smiles and answers, "I shall not say. The only difference is I serve a higher purpose than what you strive for. Now watch her one last time."

Before Kayleth can try to counter her moves, the warrior woman stabs her in multiply areas. In her weaken state, Kayleth finally breaks. The pain is too much; her emotions are too strong. Now, she feels something is terribly wrong. She reaches out to Max and tearfully cries.

Kayleth cries, "Max!"

The rage is uncontrolled; the raw unknown stretches out. The warrior woman feels something is coming and looks at Max. He is an open wound in the warp that none can find. Not wanting to waste any time, the warrior woman calls forth four daemons of the warp. They try to attack Max only to feel the void come at them. Max charges at them. Each daemon falls back from his might. As strong as the daemons are, they fail against the blank powers of Max. Once they are disposed of, Max looks to see no one else is around. He looks to the ground and sees only a small spirit stone left behind. In his rage, Max roars to the heavens and lets his unchecked powers spread everywhere. He takes the empty spirit stone and jumps on the shuttle. He quickly rushes back to the fortress and informs all that he can find. It didn't take long before the eldar start appearing in various places over the fortress. Max sends out orders for more of the guardsmen and guardians to execute in the field. No ork party is allowed to retreat; no rock or bush is left unchecked. Lucas finds him rushing into the command center and calls to him.

Lucas says, "Max, wait a minute. What is this noise you are going on about?"

With the lights flickering around them, several eldar captains and scout master appear by him. Lastly, Veldoran steps forward. He lets the fires of the warp burn from his hands; the eldar warriors do not pull their blades.

Veldoran demands, "Where is our autarch? Where did Kayleth go?"

Max lowers his head and answers, "Kayleth has been taken from us by the Sons of Malice. I don't know how, but they need her for something. We have to find her and fast. I need your help."

Veldoran nearly wants his rage to consume the human base; however, he cools his tongue and agrees. Max hands him over the empty spirit stone.

He says, "There are small traces of her warp power left on the spirit stone. If Elenwe can, she will be able to find her faster. You may do what you must, but we will find her before you do."

With every eldar warrior on high alert, they begin to sweep the land for any ork parties and hidden spots on the planet. Elenwe uses her warp powers to enhance the remaining warp energy left in the spirit stone from Kayleth. The imperial forces redoubled their efforts to try and find the eldar commander too. For every major or close hit, Max assists in the search with the eldar. As the alliances once again pushes out into the land, the fate of Kayleth is all that matters to them. For the eldar, it is a serious task. For Max, it is a personal matter.

The air is thick with warp power. It surrounds her at all directions; there is no noise to be heard. All she can think of is her weakness. She allowed it to show, yet something else came from within her; Kayleth opens her eyes. There is an opening with the light shining through. She sees that the moon light is strong tonight. Kayleth tries to lift her head up. She sees the warrior woman standing by the door. The pain is too much for Kayleth. The warrior woman turns and comes over to view the pain Kayleth is in. From her head to toe, everything is a painful sensation that leaves her vulnerable.

She says, "I see that you are stronger than what I thought. This will do but you must be weaker."

Kayleth weakly asks, "Why did you take me instead of Max?"

The warrior woman is silent for a short while. She answers, "Max is a threat. If I take from him, it is because I want to see how strong he will be. I truly desire no real reason for taking you from him; I want to see his powers. Your precious Max is someone we need in order to continue the plan. My master Malice sees your Max as a threat to him or the solution to his plans. Right now, Max is the only wall that must crumble."

She removes the blade from her pocket. Kayleth looks at it. Before she is stabbed, the warrior woman looks at the eldar with great disgust. Kayleth looks at her with her eyes changing color to red orange.

"You are not even worth killing. Your soul is doom," she said. She adds, "You were pure and bright before. Now, you are slowly going dark and cold. I see you have yet to share this with the others. Something must have caused this horrible change to come to you. You are not there; you only need a little more. I shall send you back to your allies alive but you will finally show them what has been lurking in your heart. This is my gift for you."

Kayleth struggles to understand what did she mean by gift. With a thrust of the dagger, the woman cuts into Kayleth. She stabs the eldar autarch in her arms. Next, she stabs her legs and further weakens her. Lastly, she stabs Kayleth in the chest just an inch away from the heart. Once the damage is done, Kayleth feels something different come over her. The woman leaves Kayleth alone in the room. High atop of the building, the woman looks over to see that packs of orks are still fighting among each other. She leaves the area and journeys further to the south. Once she is far away, she calls to her master. A small whisper comes to her ear; the small tear in the warp is not much, but the message is cleared.

 _"You have done well, but Max is still alive. For now, they can't find us. We are safe beyond the light of the Emperor. Return to us."_

 **Chapter 5: Section 5 – 5**

The search is long and painful. He barely sleeps; he doesn't care for the other reports of glory. He spends more time around the eldar more than he should and questions everything from the findings to the possible. It is unbearable; the pain is annoying. Even when he sleeps, it is only for barely four hours. He longs to find her and continues to head deep into the wild. For every ork encounter, he lets his blank abilities stretch over the land. The eldar fear him more and more. As Lucas and Lina read the reports from the last few days, they both worry for their dear friend and his need to find Kayleth.

Lina says, "How is the search going? Are they any closer to finding her?"

Lucas replies, "So far, it is nothing. The orks are always present on the field. I think Max has out done us for the number of them he has killed."

Lina hugs Lucas tightly. He embraces her; they both sigh and worry about their friend as he continues to let his rampage be made known as far as Saneesh lets him. An ork chief falls to the ground and bleeds out slowly. With a shot to the face, the ork dies and his comrades rush away to bring more to the fight. The soldiers cheer for the impressive win over the orks; however, Max still stands full of rage. No signs of her are here. He returns back to the fortress; he is angry. Upon arrival at the main base, Max is hailed a hero. He quickly takes his attention to the eldar and begs to hear of the progress. The news of his fills his heart with hate.

Max heads to the monitor in the command center. It didn't take him long to hear from Lucas. They run into each other.

Lucas stops him, "There is no need to check the system. Everything from warp signal to even unusual sources of power is constantly being sent to the fortress. When we get a hit, you will receive one too. For now, you need to take a moment to breathe and rest properly."

Max stops and sighs, "I should have been stronger for her. She needed me, Lucas; I failed to keep her safe. I won't make that mistake again. I have to find her."

Lucas assures him that they will. Max heads to his own quarters; he knows his friend is right. There is nothing more to do. All ork parties and ork settlements have been pushed back as far as twenty miles. With his mind weary, he admits that the last forty-eight hours is enough for him. He arrives at his private home. Upon entering, he lets everything fall from him. All his worries, his rage, and his sadness are now at rest. He still looks forward to finding Kayleth. Max does his regular habits, but none of it feels right. All he thinks of is the need she showed him before being taken. The same look in her eyes still haunts his mind. After taking a long shower, Max collapses on the bed; there is nothing else for him to do but wait. Eight hours later, Max wakes up. He grabs what he needs and heads outside. The shuttles are mobilizing; all the soldiers are moving. Max finds Carl and questions the sudden flow of activity.

Carl looks to him, "Sir, we have an interesting development at the entrance. You must hurry. Lucas and Lina are there with the eldar leaders."

Max and Carl hitch a ride to the front entrance. As they travel to the gate, they see air forces moving supplies. Even the massive War Harbinger is now ready to fire its main cannon. In minutes, the two make it. Carl and Max head to the front to find Lucas and Lina alert. Max asks for details about what is going on.

Lina says, "I have skitarri snipers ready to fire on command. If needed, the main cannon on the War Harbinger can eliminate the target."

Lucas replies, "There is no need for it just yet. We will send out an advance party to take the enemy alive."

Max asks, "Who are we facing?"

Lucas mentions a certain person out in the field is wearing light armor. As the soldiers stand ready, the cold void feeling surrounds them. Everyone looks to see Max step forward. Lucas tries to persuade him to wait, but he blocks out his voice. The eldar appear around the area and stay far from Max. Veldoran leaps from his warp portal in front of Max. Despite the void feeling, he would gladly journey with Max.

He says, "Stand down, Max. I have business with her before you do."

Max ignores him only for Veldoran to raise his weapon to him. Before Veldoran can issue a final warning, he slowly feels his warp power drain from him. He looks into Max's eyes to find only horror.

Veldoran carefully says, "I shall be nearby, but I want to speak with her when you are done."

Max replies, "If she so much as tries to run, you will stop her by any means. Do we have an accord?"

The enchanter nods his head as they head out into the field. Lucas orders everyone to remain ready; Elenwe strengthens her kin and lets them know to expect anything. After walking some yards out from the gate, Veldoran and Max comes face to face with the light armored woman; the warrior woman looks to Max and Veldoran. She tries to step forward only for Veldoran to charge up his eldritch flames. As Max looks at the Great Enchanter, Veldoran shows no concern for burning away the land around them.

He says, "Where is Kayleth? What have you done with her, _mon-keigh_ filth?"

The warrior woman smiles and answers, "You are not to stand before us; I only require Max to be here."

Veldoran throws a sphere of warp fire at her. She doesn't put up a guard nor does she move. The sphere passes over her face and she smiles. Veldoran howls in anger; Max urges him to step back.

He says, "So, you are the same as me? You're a blank?"

The woman angrily replies, "I am not what you are, Max. You are a mistake born into this galaxy and will destroy all of us or help us depending on your choices. I am a being that Malice has blessed with infinite power. I am only enduring my time around you."

She points to the direction at her right and continues, "In the direction going to the south east, you will find an ork war base. They have been there for quite some time since the death of their last war boss. The next war bosses are an easy target; the Sons of Malice would have dealt with them, but we have other matters beyond this space to deal with. The ork camps are spread out and have their own strength; they each show a different display of power in their own way. One war boss is in charge of the rocket teams; he will let the air be his advantage. The next ork boss is in charge of the vehicles; they love speed pass anything. Lastly, the war chief there may have a chance to overcome them all if he is not so focused on the building I left the eldar witch in."

The very mention of an eldar being held captive sparks a glimmer of hope in Veldoran and Max. With the new told to him, Veldoran falls back to help mobilize the eldar. She walks away only for Max to fire a shot at her.

He says, "How do we know this isn't a trap? Why tell us where she is?"

She turns to Max and replies, "I tell you this now because I want to. Malice approves of my methods to see that his will be done. You will go and fight the orks; they will fight to enjoy the battle. I am only ensuring that there is chaos on this land. Malice will reward me for my careful planning. By the time you save her, it may be too late."

A warp portal opens and she step inside; she disappears from sight. Max didn't want to believe her words, but he desperately wants to find Kayleth. At the camp of the alliance, disagreements are spoken for the next course of actions from within the factions. Many imperial guardsmen believe that the path is a trap; a few eldar rangers support the guardsmen. Howling banshees gladly would place their life on the line to find their leader; a handful of imperial guardians agree. Lucas and Veldoran stand on the choice to go.

Lucas says, "This may be a trap for us; it is a plan that can lead to our death. Whatever the situation is, we must go and seek out the enemy. Based on what the stranger said, we are walking into more ork territory. The only difference here is we have the element of surprise."

Elenwe steps to Lucas and looks to Veldoran, "Are you certain that this is the best chance? Lucas may be convinced, but I shall not send more eldar to die for a single one."

Veldoran answers, "How can you speak ill of our commander? Kayleth has been with us since the crusade in the sub-sector of Aurelia. She has fought for us and even allied with the humans to help find you. Now when she needs to be saved you dare turn your back to her?"

Before anyone can speak, Max steps forward and calls to all. He looks at the Wraithseer Elenwe with eyes of rage yet she can't feel what he feels. The eldar back away as Max approaches Elenwe.

He says, "Long ago, you told me that I bring you hope. Hope is a sign to the road of disappointment for anyone in the imperium of man. I am sure you can relate to it given the fact that war is everywhere in the galaxy. Orks are always ready to kill us; the swarms of tyranid are consuming sectors. Even now, agents of chaos to the four dark ones and Malice stand ready to destroy us; I come to you as an ally farseer Elenwe. Like before, you believed in me even when I didn't see the same thing you see. Now, I believe this is our chance. Can you follow me into paradise again?"

Elenwe looks to Max and the others around him. With a nod of her head, she agrees to follow Max to the south-east to find Kayleth. With everyone agreeing to save the eldar commander, both factions mount up and begin the journey into the south-eastern land. The wheels of the tanks roll into the soil and guns are loaded. They stand ready to fight; many are unsure as to why they are doing this. In the sky above their head, the War Harbinger flies nearby. He stands at the head of the ship with his lover. All they can do is pray that this is not going to end bad for them. Lina squeezes his hand.

She says, "Are you sure this is a good idea? We don't know what to expect yet we follow him as though he is the leader."

Lucas replies, "I trust Max. Plus, it will do us well to take down more orks. For now, we are keeping our home safe from the enemy. If all goes well, the ork population will have dwindled down to nothing."

As the eldar travel closely behind their allies, many sharpen their blades and focus this warp powers. The uncertain future makes them feel unable to fight; many eldar feel that this is a trap. At the center of the ship, Elenwe uses her warp powers once more to try and find Kayleth. Veldoran mediates with his fellow warlocks and prepares them.

He thought, _"I pray you are safe and not harmed. We will see you again Kayleth of Alaitoc."_

At the front of the imperial army, he looks from a battle tank. In his heart, he feels ready for war. He would face down any xeno or being if it means finding her again. Max looks at his hand and makes a fist.

He says, "I will rescue you Kayleth. I won't let them take you from me. Hold on, we are coming."

Once the War Harbinger picks up a signal ten miles away, the imperial forces come to a halt. The base fortifications begin; the eldar arrive and teleport their bong singers to the surface. Shortly, a few forward bases are made. Lina takes command of the War Harbinger; the war ship goes high above the orbit. Lucas heads ground to assist with the operations. Nearly half way through the base setup, orks begin to rush over and attack the alliance. Shelia is seen leading her packs of howling banshees into battle. As reports from above come to both sides, the eldar and imperial army stand ready. Max, Carl, and Lucas take the first squads of imperial soldiers to the front. The ground begins to shake as they stand shoulder to shoulder. As always, the orks come charging forward and scream their famous battle cry. The imperial army holds their weapons; the orks keep coming closer.

There is a high pitch sound coming from the sky above. It rings loudly and alerts the others below to be ready for the impact. The orks pay no attention to the coming sound. As they try to rush on the humans, massive explosions throw the orks back. Each shell blast from the War Harbinger scatters the orks upon contact with the surface. After five shells are fired at the ground ahead of the imperial army, the ship changes direction. Max takes the first line of imperial guardians out against the orks; they sweep the area and gun down any orks left alive. Lucas moves up the tanks and transports; many Bone'ead ogryns lead their packs forward. A group of nobs try to attack the imperial guardians. They are met in combat against the ogryns as both brutes clobber each other to death with axes, guns, and knifes. Carl guides the imperial guardsmen units forward and remind them that victory in battle will always be achieved; the guardsmen break off by companies. At the front of each company, a single preacher of the Ecclesiarch continues to deliver the message from the emperor. With many able body leaders leading the imperial army forward, they each give a speech to all and remind everyone why they do this.

Max speaks to the imperial guardians, "We do this to ensure our survival as a whole!"

Lucas broadcasts his message: "Let the enemy of mankind remember why we are here!"

Carl rallies the guardsmen, "You are all that is keeping the imperium alive!"

The Preacher of the Ecclesiarch shouts, "For the Emperor, we shall never surrender!"

Though the humans push forward, the eldar take a more silent and selective way to eliminate the ork hordes. Veldoran advices the scout masters to eliminate certain orks to cause further infighting. Howling banshees led by Shelia shriek loudly as they cut down orks by the many. Elenwe uses her warp powers to shock or burn the enemy alive. More than ever, the eldar use all that they can to push the orks back. As the orks die by the many, the eldar sing the phrase once told to them by Kayleth _"Silent as the grave"_. In the midst of the confuse, each eldar leader sings a new verse to their kind.

Veldoran chats, "The flames of the warp shall burn them to ash. May no ork take another life from us."

Elenwe speaks to all telepathically, "Let none live to see another sun rise. The eldar of craft world Alaitoc shall be their doom."

Shelia roars, "We bring the battle to our enemies and leave none to escape!"

Many focus on elimination; others are certain that the orks are the real threat. As the factions of eldar and imperial soldiers move in to attack the first ork site, the only thing going through the mind of Max is one simple thought.

 _"Hold on Kayleth, I'm coming to save you."_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _The eldar are trained to keep their emotions intact when in training, war, meditation, and peace. The mind of an eldar is highly complex when experiencing the highs and lows of pain, sorrow, happiness, and pleasure. To compare a human mind to an eldar mind is to see a mammal compare to a deity._

 **Chapter 6: Section 6 – 1**

The ground is stained by many; there is blood of every kind pouring from various parts. It has been near two days of battle and the enemy is relentless in its pursuit to destroy the forces of order; they are without end. For every one that is killed, a mob of twenty comes rushing from somewhere. The death of many faithful followers is less than ever; however, the death toll of orks is high. At the center of the alliance, many bodies of orks are piled up. The last war chief is thrown on top of the massive mountain of dead. Each has been successfully eliminated to stop the future threats. The last few ork bodies are placed together in the pile. Several soldiers of the imperial guard and guardians step forward; they light the tip of their rods up to see the flame come out. Once ready, each member sets the ork bodies on fire with the flame throwers. The fire runs up and down the pile of orks. Soon, the flame climbs to the sky. Elsewhere, the eldar and torch teams of the imperial army burn any left over orks and small piles of orks around. No ork body is spared; everything must burn.

He looks out into the distant land and sees a set of fires blazing. Now, he can see the tower of the final ork stronghold. Like always, the orks are ready for war and carnage. It will be day light shortly and fires around the land keep him focused. He swears that her irises are the same as the blazing flames in the field. Max holds his weapons tightly; the upgraded pistol is heavy and powerful. In the beginning, he could easily pull off a head shot on an ork. Now, his weapon can take down any war boss with no trouble. The sword he holds was old and near ruined; now it is a weapon infused with fire. The work of the Blessed Techno Woman has given not only Max an edge but the army benefits too. The body armor is strong against several axe slashes; the guns can easily rip and tear any limp from a xeno. Despite her work on the soldiers of the imperium, the research and development into the ship out-shines the army. The great War Harbinger of the imperial guardians is stronger than before. Its warp drive can send them nearly half way across the galaxy as many say; the cannons are powerful enough to level a planet as the tech-priests proclaim. The words of praise to the great Omnissiah ring loudly as the Preachers of the Ecclesiarch. Aboard the ship, she sends out orders for the final push to eliminate the orks on the planet. The men, women, skitarri, tech-priests, and engineers stay alert and move about aboard the ship on all decks. The top level has broadcast sending out her commands and request for ground support and reinforcements.

Lina says, "Launch another napalm set over to the east landscape. I need more reinforcements sent down to support the imperial guard. Get any battle tank ready for deployment in the west. Prepare to fire one more volley of cannon fire at the ork stronghold. Keep those reactors stable."

As fast as she gives out orders, the people aboard know their duty. Each shipment is safely packed. Every gun is carefully placed on the racks. Once everything is loaded on a cargo shuttle, the two at the front of the aircraft launch from the War Harbinger into the sky of fire. With every safe landing, guardsmen and guardians of the imperial army rush to the aircrafts. Women and men pull rifles from the racks; the skitarri squads modify their guns to fire in two directions. Medic teams sedate and move the wounded back to the aircraft for departures for the War Harbinger. As the troops continue to hear the words of the Preacher, they focus on their work as the final conflict urges them to be ready. As the sun slowly comes up, the words of the Preachers reach to those that need it the most:

 _"We stand here today, proud of the accomplishments we have earned. The immortal Emperor of Mankind is with us. His Avenging Son is leading us. It is by our will and divine right that mankind will have a place at the head of the galaxy. Let all our enemies of the imperium know that we will deliver swift justice to them. For the imperium, we fight the forces of evil."_

A voice is heard among the guardsmen and guardians. He keeps his orders short and clear to everyone: _Stop the orks. Save the prisoner._ Humanity and the Eldar may not always be the best of allies, but they do have several similarities. Eldar and mankind face the forces of chaos on different fronts; they fight to save their own from death, enslavement, and damnation. Both species are full of pride, honor, respect, and care. Among the imperial army, the Lord General makes sure everyone is ready to support their xeno allies for the upcoming conflict.

Lucas says, "The eldar banshees will strike and lure the orks to our gunners. Once they disappear, we will hammer the enemy until they are a smear on the ground. I need snipers and skitarri snipers to follow the eldar rangers and scouts. They will cripple the enemy's movement or sow infighting throughout the ranks. The vehicles on both sides will cover any flanking positions and lay down heavy fire."

With the imperial army moving, the eldar of all kind ready their skills for war. The howling banshees move into position. At the front, Shelia leads the packs. The warp spiders disappear and teleport closer to imperial forces as support; rangers and scouts silently lead parties of imperial snipers and skitarri squads across the land. Many warlocks under Veldoran join other imperial guardian teams to provide warp power support and healing. In the center of the alliance camp, Wraithseer Elenwe continues to keep her kin strong with her warp powers strengthening their resolve and will. The preparations are ready; the eldar and imperial army stand ready. All that is left are the words of victory. Max takes one last look at the area of ork infested parties. He turns away joins his allies at the front. Lucas joins him; Veldoran makes his appearance from his warp portal. They all look to each other.

Veldoran says, "We will be grateful if we can still save her. I only hope the orks have not laid a hand on her."

Lucas adds, "Think nothing but of victory. The orks had their chance to run. They all will die this day. Max, are you ready?"

Max pats both of them on the arm, "I thank you both for standing with me. Let this be the day that orks shall no longer plague us."

As they all break away to their parties, Max keeps his mind focused on one thing.

He thought, _"Hold on Kayleth. I will rescue you."_

At one of the ork guarding posts, a few orks get smacked in the head. An ork nob continues to urge his lower kind that a proper look out is better than none. In the shadows and bushes, a scout and sniper look on with steady hands. The scout calls out how many orks there are. It only takes a few seconds for the skitarri sniper to calculate how fast they will kill them. The skitarii sniper adjusts her scope; she tilts her head to the side slightly and counts down. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Plink! A single shot goes through the head of the nob. Before the others become too wise, a few more bullets shatter their skulls. The orks in the tower look over the edge to see the dead. With a sudden emergence from behind their backs, four warp spiders appear and stab each of the four orks in the head. The area is still quiet; no alarm is made nor is there any roar from the orks. The teams pull the dead from the area. As more eldar and humans move into the next position, there is still more activity elsewhere at the next outpost.

A blade is stuck in the head of an ork; Shelia pulls it from the enemy with ease. As much as her kin wishes to unleash the howl of the banshee cry, they follow the words of their captain to the letter. The less noise they make, the better hidden they will be. The eldar move up to the next field. A group of orks pass by searching the area; it didn't take long for the eldar to slay them with ease. As they finish off the group, they signal their allies to move up and take position around the area. The area at the third guarding port is packed with massive ork nobs. The size of the green skins is frightening, but Carl is ready to take down any of them. He uses hand motions to signal nearby eldar and imperial guardians to get ready. A nob turns to see Carl with his infrared scope eye; he quickly fires his gun to blind the ork. The beast roars in pain and alerts the others. A watch tower tries to send an alert off to the other orks. Instead, a few sniper bullets eliminate the orks. Out from the shadow, the alliance cuts the orks down and silences their voice.

Carl urges others to hurry into position; Shelia cautions her kin when advancing. Lucas and Max take to the front of the field of battle. They move up slowly. A loud whistling sound is made in the distance; Lucas and Max look to the sky. Every single person, eldar and ork look up to see the small object. With a light sound going off and causing a low noise, the alliance stands ready to face the coming danger. The war boss grinds his teeth; he knew that the enemy is coming, but he didn't expect them to be here too soon. Those annoying _"humies and elda"_ irritate him highly. Now that the signal for the orks has gone off, it is time for the _Waaagh_ to start. Out from the holes in the mountain side, they all roar for battle. The sky hears their terrible cry; the grounds shakes under the feet of all. They swing their weapons high above their head and fire their guns with such enthusiasm. The eldar and imperial army locks their joints and weapons. As they look pass the trees and hidden area, the see the masses of orks come charging at them. The first area the ork masses attack is near outpost one. The skitarii squads begin to gun down the orks. Many ork groups die from the landmines on the field. The large hulking beasts are burned, shot, cut, and stabbed by many.

Max steps forward to the first group of orks. As they close in on him, they pause as his powers begin to spread everywhere. The orks become confused and unsure as to what Max is. Just as they try to think of their next move, Lucas and a band of storm troopers flank the enemy with ferocity. The orks do what they can against the enemy; however, the unknown void feeling from Max causes too many of the orks to be off balance. As the terrible might of the orks continues to spread, the alliance begins to charge into the lines of the orks. In the middle of the battle, they give out orders to combat the enemy.

Shelia shouts, "We shall strike the enemy from this path and fight out way to the main army. Leave none of the orks alive. The reinforcements will follow and burn each body to ash. Follow me, my kin. We go to battle."

Lucas says, "This is the end of the orks. Move up the battle tanks from all directions and hammer the settlements. All torch units are to incinerate any ork body found. Let's go, men. The imperium has enemies that must be eliminated."

Carl broadcasts, "The orks are trying to reinforce the area we are passing through. We will keep them pinned down for now. Requesting immediate fire support from the War Harbinger."

Veldoran burns the field ahead of his team, "I shall remind the orks that the eldar are far more superior to them!"

As hard as everyone fights, the orks seem to be without end. The War Harbinger and Faded Light fire upon the soil of the ork stronghold. The orks die by the many; it didn't take long for the orks to begin a retreat back to the stronghold. As much conflict is happening on the ground, the sky above them is filled with smoke and battle. High above their heads, the War Harbinger and Faded Light support each other. The air carriers face off against the ork fighter bombers and storm-boys of the sky. As the anti-air guns' blast down orks, many more climb aboard the human ship. The orks may easily land on the War Harbinger, but they didn't count on Lina installing new features to counter against intruders. Before the orks can break through the outer layer of the ship, a massive amount of lighting surrounds the ship. As the orks fall from the ship, many more push into the hangar opening. Upon landing inside the ship, the storm boy orks are gunned down by imperial soldiers waiting for them. The orks attempt to land on the Faded Light. Each try is met with a warp power so strong that their heads explode upon contact. From the sky to the ground, the alliance of eldar and man stand strong against the green horde. The orks may seem endless, but all things will run dry. As the war outside continues to rage on, Kayleth feels something pull at her very soul. The pain is coming; the only question that remains is will she rise above it.

 **Chapter 6: Section 6 – 2**

A slash to the skull will kill an ork. An axe to the neck will kill a human; the eldar use graceful agility to counter the brute force that any ork can deliver. They push the orks back against the wall. The army stands ready as they close in. For every attempt the orks have tried, they were met with deadly consequences. At the front of the army, Max guides his unit into the last final battle. The orks roar loudly and proud. They lost many to the alliance; none of the dead orks matter to the war chief. It welcomes the coming end with a smile on its face. There are no other paths around the mountain. The orks stand strong and ready with what is left of their kind. The prize for the alliance is the help the eldar save their commander. Max comes to the front and sees the orks ready to fight. Without no time to wait, Max charges into the hordes. The orks laugh at him until the void expands from him. Max shoots an ork in the head; he cuts down the next one with his flame sword. As the orks try to rush upon him, each one pauses as if their ork deities spoke to them. Lucas watches at Max is slowly being cut off from his allies. He continues to go.

Lucas calls for an all-out charge. The eldar and humans advance on the orks; the beasts turn to face the alliance only to be slaughtered. Max continues to push pass the orks and kill as many as he can to get to the first building. He steps inside to find nothing; the path to finding Kayleth only increases his need to see her alive again. Every ork he cuts down only brings Max more frustration. Further back towards his allies, they all can feel it. The blank abilities of a Blank stretch far and wide. The orks are left stun by this unseen force. The eldar advance and eliminate any ork they can before they fall back from the void. After coming from the next building, Max looks up top to see the final building is an old church. He finds the fastest way up as his allies deal with the ork hordes. Once he reaches the top, Max comes to an open field. He looks ahead to see the war chief swinging his spiked iron ball from his chain. The ork roars to him and laughs at Max with great confidence.

It says, "You'z gotta be crazi to com ere an mess wit me. I give ya credikt humie fo makin' it all da way, but you'z gonna die now."

Max replies, "Ork, you are not worth my time. I am here to find someone important. You are just in the way; I offer you one chance to leave before I kill you."

The ork laughs proudly and answers, "You'z gotz sum spirit dere. I lik dat, but I ain't got time fo sum weak humie. Maybe if ya waz an ogryn, den I might be willin. So, piss off."

Max draws his sword and pulls his gun out once more. The ork looks at him carefully.

It says, "Ha! You'z dink you can win wit dat? Fine! I'll kill ya myself!

The ork swings his mighty spiked ball at Max; he leans to the side and dodges the first strike. Max slashes at the ork. With a swing of his back hand, the ork sends Max flying into the soil. Before the ork can crush his head in, a stray shot from a gun staggers the beast. Max looks over to see Carl providing backup.

He shouts, "You will not harm Noble One creature! I will end you here!"

The war chief charges at Carl only to feel a sword drive through his torso. The ork turns and grips Max by his throat. Max roars loudly as he pushes the beast backwards; the ork feels the cold void come at him. The ork panics and tries to break free. Max pulls his sword from the beast. He slashes at the ork many times only for the beast to block the blade with his shoulder pad. The more Max strikes, the powerful his abilities push out. Each strike causes the beast to fall backward; Carl rushes up and brings his sword down on the ork by the leg. Even with a sword in his leg, the war chief continues to guard against Max's strikes. The ork goes on a rampage and knocks Max away. Carl jumps back and fires at the beast only to receive a heavy smack to his arm by the spiked chain ball; the force is too much for Carl's arm. It breaks his arm nearly in half. Max looks over to see Carl about to die.

Max screams, "STOP, YOU DAMN MONSTER!"

The war chief stops and looks to Max with eagerness. It charges at him roaring loudly; Max responds with the same aggressive rage. He slides just under the ork by his right side and cuts his leg. The beast nearly crumbles to the ground. Max whips around and leaps at the monster with a strike to the head. The ork blocks the attack barely only to feel the void come from Max. The creature howls in rage and tries to attack him back; the ork swings his spiked ball at Max. He rolls back and slashes at the beast with a forward thrust. Every strike, punch, and kick from Max is closely watched by Carl. He sees something is happening to the ork. As violent and strong as the monster is, it appears Max has the upper hand. A fist crashes into the jaw of the ork. The war chief staggers backwards in more pain than ever. Max follow ups with his assault and kicks the brute in the stomach. The hit sends the ork falling back more.

Carl thought, _"This can't be real. He is driving the ork back."_

With the ork falling on weak knees, Max stands his ground in front of the monster.

The war chief says, "…Grrr…I…I ain't…done wit youz, humie! Youz..."

Max inhales and exhales heavy, "No, I am done with you! You damn dirty ork!"

He makes a fist. With one final leap at the ork, Max collides his right hand into the face of the war chief. The punch sends the ork falling over the edge; the monster yelps one final time before landing on his neck. Carl can't believe his eyes on how strong Max has become. He gets up and limps over to him. Max turns and rushes to his side.

Carl says, "That was the craziest thing I have ever seen you do. I know Lina is weird with her designs; Lucas is brave and a risky person. You are something I have not seen or heard of since the Primarchs of the imperium being gone. What are you, Noble One Max?"

Max replies, "I don't know how I overcame the ork, but I am glad he is dead. Now, I can go and find her. You stay here and spread the word to all. The war chief is down."

Max secures the injuries of Carl. Once done, he heads further in to the next few buildings. It didn't take long before Max can hear the cheers through his radio of the alliance conquering the orks. All that is left is to find Kayleth; Max enters the building on his right. He finds nothing but a table with some old dishes on the floor. He enters and checks out the rooms. No sign of her; the next building is close to falling over. Max peeks inside to see that the place is nothing but junk. The search for Kayleth is annoying and tiresome. He looks around the area some more and continues his search. The final ork falls to the ork; the victory is complete. Both the eldar and the imperial army celebrate the end of the last ork body. With the orks no longer a pressing threat on the planet, they all rejoice at the success. Lucas and Veldoran oversee the operations; Shelia takes a moment to step off to the side. She looks over her blade and remembers the words Kayleth once told her.

 _"Be brave in the face of evil for she will try and claim us all. Remind She Who Thirsts that you are ready to strike her down."_

In the Faded Light vessel of the eldar, Wraithseer Elenwe rests her warp powers. As everything around her quiets down, she hears a voice in the sky whisper to her. The voice is unfamiliar to her; she listens patiently and wonders.

 _ **"You will not find us. We know you search for us beyond the zone of this galaxy. You will not find our sanctum. You had best worry of your companion. She is vulnerable to him now."**_

Max comes out from the last building; he looks up to see a flight of stairs stretching high into the sky. It is the last place he has not went through. Hopefully, he will find her there waiting and safe. Max starts heading up. The journey is long and enduring. Carl continues to nurse his wounds back to full health. A warp portal opens to him and out steps Shelia; she looks at him with some disappointment.

Shelia sighs, "You must be as reckless as your leaders? Your fellow men need you. Is dying apart of your future leader examples?"

Carl laughs and coughs up blood. Shelia moves to him and slowly uses her healing spell on his wounds.

He says, "I am fine. To fight the enemies of mankind is to continue our right to lead the galaxy. But, I would reconstruct certain parts of it if I was in charge."

Shelia stares at the tall landscape behind him. Carl looks at her with curiosity and turns his head in the same direction. He takes notice to her focus on the area behind him.

She asks, "Has anyone else gone up?"

Carl answers, "Yes, Noble One Max went on ahead to find Kayleth. He didn't…"

Shelia grips her weapon tightly and says, "I must leave you for a moment and inform my kin of what that foolish _mon-keigh_ leader is doing. He can't be near her too long. I shall return once I have been informed of what comes next. Your allies will be here soon."

Before Carl can ask what is going her, Shelia leaps through the warp portal. He gazes back at the tall landscape and questions what made her leave so quickly. Shelia appears before the great enchanter and powerful Wraithseer. The other eldar are dismissed as Shelia speaks her words to Veldoran and Elenwe. With the news of what is going on, they try to hurry to the destination that is drawing Max further in. Veldoran and Elenwe appear in the same spot where Carl is at; they are closely followed by a few warlocks. They find Lucas helping him; the questions begin to stir in their heads. Veldoran calls Lucas over.

He says, "Your friend Max is causing something terrible to happen. He must remain away from Kayleth if he finds her."

Lucas raises an eye brow, "What are you talking of? Max only seeks to help her…?"

Elenwe steps forward and says, "Your friend may help her, but in doing so, Max can further her fall from grace. Shelia of the howling banshees will explain it to you. We will advance when the warp around her is subtle."

As the alliance picks up the wounded and buries their dead, he continues to climb high into the landscape. His journey is a dangerous one that many before have taken. Most make it to the top; many more fell to their death. The story of this massive mountain landscape is unknown to him. He barely takes a breath if only to sip some water. He comes close to falling many times, but Max knows what is at the top. After his last leap over a small gap and the almost impossible climb up, Max arrives to the top of the land. He sees small warp residue linger in the air around him. He can't feel it; the appearance of it is weak and pinkish. Max looks ahead to see an old building that is half complete. At the top of the building, there is a small cross. As much time has changed here, the sun shines greatly on the half finished building. Max arrives at the door. He opens it to find a small room. Once inside, he scans the room. There are a set of pews in a row on both sides. He looks in every row for any sign of her; Max arrives at the altar. He sees a simple book resting on top. Before he can open it, Max sees more traces of the warp slipping by him and heading to another room. He follows it quickly before the warp disappears. He sees a back door heading outside; Max goes back outside to the backyard. There she is; however, she is not found the way he remembers her.

She lays on flat surface made of rock. There is blood pouring from her arms, legs, and side. The ground around her has a small pool of blood. She keeps her vitals strong with the constant flow of warp energy; Max rushes to her side as the warp power slowly begins to fall away from him and pass by. He looks upon her to see the warp finally quiet down. Her wounds are none lethal to her health. Max gently lifts her up by her shoulders. He calls to her as much as he can.

He says, "Kayleth…Kayleth…please wake up. Your people need you. You can't die now."

Max gently shakes her. No respond. He touches her wrist to find a pulse and breathes easy knowing that she still lives. He lays her down gently. With his worries gone, Max takes a moment to drink as much water possible. Once done, he turns back to see the warp powers circle around Kayleth tremendously. He looks at her closely before the warp finally leaves from her; Max checks her pulse again to feel it beat at a steady pace. Suddenly, her hand grips his wrist. Max looks down and questions what is going on until he hears her voice. Kayleth opens her eyes slowly; Max looks at her.

He says, "Kayleth, are you alright?"

She reaches up to touch his face. Instead of attacking or using her powers from Khaine, she rubs his face with a gentle touch.

Kayleth looks into his eyes, "Oh, Max. You're here for me."

Max smirks a little and tries to radio for help. Instead, Kayleth stops him from doing so and continues to look into his eyes. Max wants to smile at the new display of affection until the irises change a slight crimson red.

She says, "Oh Max. I am glad you are here with me alone."

Max raises an eye brow. He keeps seeing her irises change colors too much. Unsure, Max steps away from her and tries to call for allies. Kayleth snatches away the radio com and breaks it with ease. To Max's surprise, Kayleth sits up with a calm manner. She slowly heals from her wounds. Max looks at her with a measure of worry and interest.

He says, "Are you feeling ok? You seem different."

Kayleth moans slightly and moves against Max. He gently holds her; she wraps her arms around his neck.

Kayleth seductively says, "Max, I am finally free of what frighten me. Please…just hold me."

As she moves in for a kiss, a powerful warp sphere passes through Max and sends Kayleth into the soil. Max didn't understand what happen until they begin to appear. Out from the warp portals, eldar warlocks appear and bind Kayleth with strong warp rings. Before they bind step is done, Kayleth uses her warp powers to throw them back. Max looks around to see more eldar show up. He begs and calls for all to stop attacking her; Kayleth roars loudly and shrieks with a banshee cry.

She says, "I shall not be denied what I desire!"

Elenwe appears from the warp with Veldoran.

He says, "You must not fall from grace!"

Veldoran uses his own bind spell to force Kayleth down. Max tries to move towards her only to be blocked by the lesser warlocks. Elenwe uses her own warp powers to further bind Kayleth. Max looks into her eyes.

Kayleth cries, "Max!"

Before he can move towards her, the eldar take her away through a warp portal. Veldoran looks to him with some concern. Before he can leave, the great enchanter feels his warp powers drain away slowly.

Veldoran says, "We had to keep her from you. You are the cause of this. Max, please promise me that you will stay from Kayleth. She is not well."

With the last eldar leaving, Max stands alone with confusion clouding his mind. As a few soldiers come up to him, they praise him on making it to the top. Max shuts off his concerns for what has happen and makes up a lie for why his radio com is destroyed. One of the soldiers radios a shuttle for pickup. There are many questions that now press him; something is wrong with Kayleth. The eldar know of it. Max vows to find out what is going on as he stands happy and curious.

He thought, _"The eldar know something I don't know. I need to find out if it involves Kayleth. If I caused it, I want to know how to stop it. At least she is safe and back with us."_

 **Chapter 6: Section 6 – 3**

The air is heavy; the mind is spinning. Everything is so pleasant to her. The sensations of what is to come tickles her nerves. From the finger tips to the very toes, each nerve experiences something too wonderful. The breathing isn't heavy yet each is wonderful. First, there is the inhaling motion. The oxygen from the air sends a delightful message through the lungs. The chest alerts the arms, legs, and neck to the same pleasure. It feels too wonderful now; it is near impossible to stop. The exhale is a desperate plea for more. The more that leave out, the stronger the addiction is. The breathing is slow and steady. She can feel everything ache with such a pleasurable experience. All she can think of it how much more she will experience it each time.

She thought, _"This is my cure. I need more of it."_

The attempt to break free is useless, but her desire for more is stronger. The restraints keep her body immobilize. The rings that hold her can still be broken at any time. For now, she waits to hear the false words from her kin. They all understand so little of what it means to experience such desire and pleasure. A noise is heard; it sounds soothing for the ears. This will not do to slake her thirst for what she yearns to have. Now, there is footsteps. They are soft and quiet; she smiles knowing that the time is upon her. She will soon break free and leap out through a portal. The sound guides her eyes to face her watchers. She looks at them with some annoyance; however, they do what they must to help her resist the urge that now infects her mind and reasons. He approaches her with steady hands; the Great Enchanter keeps his warp rings strong on his prisoner. At any moment of weakness, she will break away and flee.

He asks, "Are you here, Kayleth? Do you recall where you are?"

She holds her tongue. Veldoran circles around her; the other lesser warlocks watch and monitor her for any attempts of escape. Even as strong as they are, the only eldar warlock keeping her in check is the enchanter. He stops in front of her with the others ready to assist when needed.

He says again, "Are you here, Kayleth of Alaitoc? What do you recall?"

No words come from her until she finally says, "Where is he, Veldoran? What did you tell him?"

Veldoran carefully replies, "I told him only what he needs to hear. He must stay away from you now. The time you spent with him has made you more delicate to his words. He can no longer see you nor you see him. Max is…"

Kayleth roars, "Do you think I am a fool?!"

Her warp powers slowly rise up. Veldoran feels his own weaken from the sudden strength. He looks at how bright her soul is; he orders the other warlocks to tighten the warp rings. As the other warlocks do what they can do hold her down, Veldoran questions her might.

Veldoran thought, _"Where did this come from? She has never pushed out so much warp power before."_

Before another thought comes, a warlock calls to him, "Great enchanter, we cannot hold her back no more. She is breaking the rings."

The warlocks stop using their power. A strong, dark emotion awakens in Kayleth; the powers from Khaine manifest in her like never before. The flame comes out with dark fires of the warp overlapping her. With one final effort from her, the warp rings on her arms, legs and waist break free. The force is too strong that it creates a massive breach in the Faded Light; the ship shakes from damage. Every eye from the imperial fortress look up to see something wrong with the eldar ship. It glows less bright than before. It makes an emergency landing. Veldoran and the warlocks slowly stand up. They look to see Kayleth is charged up and the power of Khaine flows from her strangely. As she quiets her passion, Kayleth scans the area and hole above her head.

She says, "I can't be here no more. I must go. Please, do not stop me. I mean you no harm."

Out from her own warp portal, Wraithseer Elenwe steps forward with her spear in hand.

Elenwe says, "You must regain control of yourself. You are not the same as before. Stay away from him; Max will be your down fall if you go to him."

Kayleth nearly lets her rage for such words consume her. Rather than fight her own kin, she leaps through the opening above her head. After escaping from the Faded Light, she leaps through a random warp portal to stay hidden. He runs towards the command center as though his ancestors call to him. Carl passes up several groups and urges everyone to move. Many wonder why he rushes when the communication coms are better for sending messages. It takes him nearly thirty minutes to arrive at the center. He calls to Lucas, Max, and Lina. They find him drinking a full pouch of water and question his need for not contacting them by radio.

Lucas says, "Yes, we have heard of the eldar ship falling from the sky. You could have told us this by radio unless you have other news."

Carl replies, "That is only part of the news. Something has causes Kayleth to leap from the ship and leave."

Max cuts him off and says, "I will go to the eldar and see what is going on. All of you are to stay here."

Lucas stops him, "I don't think you going to the eldar is a great idea given the fact they asked you to stay away."

With every complaint and reason brushed aside, Max takes his shuttle to the eldar ship to further investigate. He arrives to see the eldar bone singers repairing the ship as best as they can. Upon his exit of the shuttle, every eldar warrior, warlock, dire avenger, and ranger looks to Max with the want to slay him. He grips his gun and forces the eldar to back away. Just before any can strike at him, Veldoran and Shelia order their kin to return to the ship or head further out to search for Kayleth; Max approaches the pair only to stop when Shelia draws her blade.

She says, "You are the cause for all of this. I am not so easily fooled by you, _mon-keigh._ "

Veldoran orders the banshee captain to stand down. Max keeps his rage in check as he listens to the problem that he caused.

He says, "How am I the cause of this problem? How did this happen? Where is Kayleth?"

Veldoran feels hesitant to speak of the issue, but he replies, "Do you remember what you did to her a few years back? You marked her with something she has never been through. Your actions have caused her to undergo a change."

Max raises an eye brow. He questions the act he has done years ago that is causing the Kayleth trouble.

Veldoran continues, "Before your unforeseen trip to the warp to battle the daemon lord of Slaanesh, you marked Kayleth with a kiss from your lips. The very act itself did more than just affect her. It opened her mind to the dangers that we practice so hard to keep ourselves from."

Max asks, "What do you mean, Veldoran? Why are you keeping yourselves from? Love? Care? Concern? A life partner?"

Shelia scoffs at Max and answers, "I will explain it to you with easy words. Our leader Kayleth has been our brightest commander ever. She didn't have to lean on someone for love, care, or compassion. The battle field was her only path to take in order to keep us safe and guide us through any hardship. Since we came here, it seems destiny keeps showing me that you will make her fall from grace. Kayleth is a warrior for her people; she is a fighter for her kin. To see her aroused by you is a fall from grace. You kept on pressing her for more; now she has become susceptible to your charms. I blame you for this."

Max takes a step back, but he understands them clear. He says, "What will happen to her now? And why does her eyes change color?"

Shelia and Veldoran gasps a little.

Veldoran sighs, "It may be too late. Kayleth is slowly becoming what she has fought against. She may end up like Rela."

The very name shakes Max to his core, but he assures both of them that Kayleth will not go that far.

Max interrupts them, "Look, I realize that Kayleth must be your leader first before she can be anything else, but I love her enough to respect her. Rela was already of the dark elder and made her choice long ago; Kayleth is strong and knowledgeable. She won't end up like her. If I can, I will do whatever it takes to help you keep Kayleth safe…"

Shelia nearly runs her sword through Max; however, Veldoran uses his warp powers to keep her blade from passing through.

She roars as the warp power pulls her arm back, "If you want to help us, then stay away from her. I will slay you if I must."

Max allows his blank abilities to pull at the warp in the area and the two back away from him as the void feeling comes out. The eldar in the area nearly flee from the uncomfortable feeling. As Shelia and Veldoran look at Max, he slows his breathing and calms his rage.

He says, "I will do my best not to lead Kayleth on, but perhaps there is a way for us to prevent her from falling to her darker and extreme emotions. For now, I will keep a small group of guardsmen and imperial guardians around me to intercept her. Do what you can to save her, but I still will be around to help you and her."

Veldoran adds, "You may do what you must; however, it will not work. If it comes to saving her or you, I won't hesitate to stop you at the cost of my life."

Max takes his words into consideration with a nod. As he leaves, Shelia questions the decisions on what comes next.

Veldoran answers, "Our choices for handling Kayleth are simple. Each one of them requires us to be harsh on restraining her. We can easily lock her up only it will take more than a few warlocks to hold her down for the duration of condition. The warlocks will require additional warp powers and help to keep her mind at peace. Once that is done, we will have to cast a spell on Kayleth to lock up her warp powers. Since she has the avatar of Khaine flowing through her, it will take special runes and spells. That is our first option; we can try to retrain her through harsh methods that test her agility, her speed, and her strength. Many eldar do recall their painful path of the warrior, so it may help her regain her focus on what the battle field is like. The howling banshees can serve well here; however, our non-active Harlequins can keep her soul safely intact from the dark thoughts she has. They will be of great service here. They can dance away her painful experience or convert her to be a member of Cegorach to be safe from She Who Thirst. That will be the second option."

Shelia questions, "What if either one of those methods fail? What shall we do after these attempts fail her?"

He continues, "The next attempt is send her back to our empire. Once she is there, the other eldar are to isolate her from everything. The trials will make her stronger as she was before. She will come close to dying knowing that the Great Evil is waiting for her, but each near-death moment will steel her mind. For every time she is successful, her soul will grow less willing to give in to any passions. If she fails, the penalty will be severe on her soul. Each failure will only keep growing until she accepts the condition and isolate herself from any passion; that is the third path for her to take. The last solution to her condition requires only a permanent solution. Kayleth cannot give into the desire she has kept hidden from Max. Any more interactions from him will only increase the need to explore more. If this happens, she will end up taking the same dark path that Rela took before the great fall came. Once that happens, we will have no choice."

The method for a last resort saddens Shelia, but she understands. The eldar continue to oversee the repairs of their vessel. Lucas, Carl, Lina, and Max go over plans to further improve on the fortress. As they go into details of the next area, a warp portal opens and Shelia steps through. The four imperial leaders stop their chatter and listen to her.

Shelia looks to all of them, "I need to know if I can have your word. If I do, you must honor it forever."

High on a mountain by the cliff, the warp is strong within her. She would swing her blade if she could. Instead, her thoughts are replaced with something she now desires; every single memory races in her mind with various events she recalls. The first thought takes her back to when she met with him. Ever since the first touch, all she remembers is rage and disgust. The fact that he lays a hand on her sent rage through her heart. The second time is how she had him at locked against a wall; he was unable to move or counter as she took the spirit stone from him the first time. Later, a futile effort is used that ends with her chest exposed. The feeling is there; the cold air is strong. She wants to be mad and upset; however, Kayleth still feels the urge replacing what she knows. Out of all of her encounters with Max, the worse one is the mark he left on her. It was done in front of her kin and his allies. To make matters worse, he whispered words to her before that didn't make any sense to her. As Kayleth roars proudly and raises her blade, she allows the experience to send chills down her spine and greatly excite her.

She thought, _"I…I need…to see…you. I desire…more from you…"_

With her irises changing color and the flame of Khaine changing to dark purple fire, she smiles a little to know that this feeling is no longer rage or disgust. Her new emotion is passion, desire, and even lust. Unable to think clearly, she drops to her knees and moans slightly. The emotion is strong and her nerves are sensitive. All that goes through her mind is him.

 **Chapter 6: Section 6 – 4**

The planet Saneesh is home to the imperium of man. It rests near the edge of the halo zone and slowly becoming a thriving place with plenty of resources to use; a new day has come to all. Though the humans sleep, many eldar stay alert and hunt for their missing leader. With no activity from the enemy, Elenwe uses her warp powers. Unbeknownst to her kin, she searches beyond the surface of the planet to find a particular source. As the citizens of the imperium wake, many look forward to what is their next challenge. Far in the east section, he rests easy in his own bed. Many stay near him should any warp being comes to haunt them. Max wakes up to the sound of a nearby bell tower and stretches his arms and legs; the presence of the warp passes in his room. Max widens his eyes and scans the room; he looks around to see nothing. In a short moment, Max focuses on his blank powers to drain away any warp powers in the room. It didn't take long for him to find out where the warp source comes from. He steps out his home armed with his weapons. Instead of finding a warp monster to slay, Max comes face to face with Kayleth. He looks upon her with great wonder and surprise. She looks to him with a smile; Max tries to speak only to feel Kayleth tackle him to the floor. She uses her warp power to shut the door. To prevent any from getting inside, Kayleth uses her warp power to bring up a shield around the room.

Max looks to her, "Kayleth, what is going on? Why did you tackle me?"

She looks down at him and smiles with desire, "Oh Max, why hide the desire for me now?"

Before he can reach for the radio device, Kayleth stabs the object to prevent further communication from others. She straddles him with great enthusiasm. Max raises an eye; Kayleth nearly closes the space between each other. Her warp powers slowly rise higher.

Max cautiously says, "Are you ok? You never showed this much affection before. And I don't recall you wanting to be this close."

Kayleth moans and breathes calmly, "Maybe, I didn't want you to see me until now. I am ready Max. I need you to show me. I must know what I am experiencing."

Just as he tries to speak, Max feels her body press firmly against him. Kayleth locks her hands against his and holds him down. Max tries to move, but he looks at her with desire too. The same urge slowly shows; however, he remembers what was told to him.

Max calmly holds her hands, "Kayleth, are you sure this is what you want?"

She reaches for her attire and slowly rips it off, "Max, I am ready for you to show me…"

Before any more can be done, Kayleth stops and feels the warp pass through her. She hops off of Max and leaps through the portal. Max lays there with confusion as to what just happen. He gets off the floor and gathers what he needs. Just as he steps out, a powerful shriek is heard across the land; Max hurries as fast as he can to find Lina and Lucas. He arrives at the command center in an hour. He finds Lina and Lucas both concern with what they see on the monitors.

Max says, "What is going on?"

Lina replies, "There has been a sudden warp breach at this point here in the north west of the fortress. We are sending any able body people there to investigate. Our only reports are some group of black and white fighters."

Lucas calls to Max as he tosses him the flame weapon, "So, our colorful Sons of Malice are back. This time, there are no orks to help or distract them. Let's hurry and stop them."

Max agrees as they hurry to the north west territory of the fortress. The reports come in as much as they receive them. Many groups of people are taken away; there is a strong, powerful warp usage in the area. The sky shakes from another shriek. From the shuttle monitors, Max and Lucas see the warp cloud become larger. Lina sends them a report by radio.

She says: " _ **The warp cloud is only allowing in small groups of warriors to fight our troops. If we can recover a small amount, then we can save everyone else from being taken. Land just a mile away from the warp cloud."**_

As the shuttles sets down, Lucas asks, "So, you think there is a reason why the Sons of Malice are back on our home?"

Max tries to stay focus, but all he can see is how seductive Kayleth looks; Lucas calls to him again and questions the whereabouts of his thoughts.

He answers, "I was approached by Kayleth today. She came to me alone and…"

Before he finishes the sentence, Lucas warns him, "I don't want to even know what happen between you two. For now, help us and we can talk this over with them later."

Once the shuttle lands, Max and Lucas step out and head in different directions to gather up the troops. It didn't take long for them to slowly push back the invaders. A third powerful shriek occurs and more invaders of Malice come out. As more help arrives, the rate of causalities goes up to five hundred dead or taken. Once formation is restored, Max and Lucas issue out orders to fortify the area with strong resistance. Once done, they fight their way to the center of the section. They both come to the first barricade and see Carl slaying a silent warrior of Malice; he calls to his leaders and addresses the situation.

Carl says, "It happen right after I was taking in some sunlight and giving out patrol orders. These heavy covered people placed a severed head on a pike. Once done, one of them spoke a spell to the head. The head screams and caused a massive warp cloud to open up. The rest is pretty obvious."

Lina transmits a new message to them, "We have more reinforcements coming in. One of you will have to organize them."

Before Max or Lucas can go, Carl steps up and keeps in contact with Lina on where he needs to be at. Max and Lucas turn back to the warp cloud in front of them. A fourth roar screams loudly and lasts longer than before. As they order everyone around them to take cover, they all see the warp cloud slowly pull back to its place of origin. Every holds and braces for any surprises the Sons of Malice have for them. Once the cloud is gone, they all look to the center and view a tall man carrying a head on the pike. At the shoulders, the skulls of humans hang with blood dripping from them. The claws of a tyranid monster are attached to the metal gloves and marks of Malice are displayed in several areas around him; the clothes are black and white just like the space marines. The tall man shows no signs of pain, fear or want to retreat. He calmly stands his ground and looks to all. He takes a bite out of the head on the pike. A few guardsmen vomit from what they see; no one dare comes from the safety of the wall. Lucas orders a few guardians to take aim. They fire a wave of lasrifle at the tall man. There is no damage; no signs of hurt are upon him. Instead, the brute smiles and throws down the pike.

The big man roars loudly and charges at the first line of attackers; the imperial guardians and guardsmen fire at him. Like before, not a single shot goes through him. The brute leaps high over their head and lands in the middle of the imperial guardians. They switch to swords and begin to strike at him. Every blade begins to slightly crack with each strike against him. The tall man throws soldiers in every direction. A few men and women get their arm broken; many more feel their leg snap. In a display of amazing strength, the large man grabs two soldiers by the leg and swings them like battle axes into any who approach him. The morale of the imperial army trembles at the might of the tall man. Lucas and Max step forward; the tall man drops the others. He pops his neck and smirks until he feels the void from Max. With Max taking the first step forward, the man growls at him.

Max says, "You made a poor mistake coming here. Now, you will stand against the greatest fighters of the imperial army."

The tall man beats his chest and cries, "I am the great warrior called Bane! I shall kill you all with my hands!"

Even with great swords, powerful handguns, and blank abilities, Bane charges at the trio with no fear of what he faces. Max and Lucas charge up their weapons of lighting and fire. Bane charges at Max; he tries to punch him. Max counters his first attempt by rolling to the side. Lucas rushes at the brute and slides by his left side to dodge his massive arm swing. Lucas slashes at Bane's leg. It is a small scar; Bane turns around quickly and comes at Lucas. He nearly crushes the Lord General with his bare hands. Max leaps at him and slashes his arm; a second small cut is made. but Bane counters the move by back-handing Max. The hit is too strong for Max. It sends him crashing into the soil. Lucas performs a lean-and-strike maneuver. The attempt allows Bane to body slam him into the ground. Before Lucas can guard against the next attack, Bane kicks him in the stomach. An imperial guardian rushes upon Bane only for him to be throw against the ground with ease; two more guardsmen try to show their bravery by attacking the enemy from behind. Bane turns and rushes at them. Before the guardsmen can reach for their swords, Bane choke slams both soldiers with ease. With one more choke slam, he knocks the wind out of the pair and throws them to the side. Max manages to get in close to his opponent. Bane grips Max by his shoulder. Try as he may, Max feels his arm slowly get crushed. Lucas jumps at and attempts to slash at his head; Bane leans forward and forces Lucas to stumble to the soil.

With another powerful grip, Bane now holds Lucas up by his wrist. The imperial army looks on in horror and hear the sound of bones breaking. Max feels his shoulder crack; Lucas feels his wrist pop out of place. Both men scream in pain. Max allows his blank powers to stretch everywhere. It does nothing but annoys Bane. With a swing of his arms, Bane sends Max and Lucas crashing to the ground. The imperial guardians surround them and take aim. Despite the barrage of lasrifle shots, every shot does nothing to him. Bane welcomes all the rifle shots at him with open arms. With their options low, the imperial soldiers pull back their leaders from Bane. Just as the mad brute is ready to charge at them, warp portals open up at random. Shelia of the Howling Banshees charges at Bane. He attempts to harm her only to feel her sword cut at him; Bane manages to slam her down only to be shot in the back by a jolt of lighting. Warlocks of Alaitoc leap out and fire warp fire and warp lighting from their fingertips; they each take turns to bring down the mad man. Bane shakes off the warp spells and continues to move forward. Suddenly, Veldoran comes out from the warp portal and sends a massive wave of eldritch flames at Bane. The force picks him up from the ground, but causes great damage. As the eldar stand with their allies, they witness an unusual feature of Bane.

He stops moving and takes the grappler stance. Bane keeps his body open like a wrestler ready to grab any that approach him. Now, he begins to groan as though he is under a terrible strain. The eldar and imperial army watch as the damage done to him slowly begins to heal. The sections of cut flesh heal quickly; all areas that are scorched from fire and lighting return to their normal state. Once done, Bane cries furiously once again.

Bane says, "Your feeble attempts to stop me are worthless. Malice will be pleased upon seeing me crush you with ease."

A voice from somewhere interrupts, "That is why you will die here and now against me."

Everyone looks around to see which way she comes from. A warp portal opens with the dark purple flame of Khaine around her. Her eyes slowly turn to his direction. She is not as angry like before. Instead, her need for battle shows that the pain will soothe her more; Kayleth calls to everyone and forbids all from interfering. Bane roars at her as he charges towards her. She lets her banshee cry echo around the area. Everyone pulls back as she engages the brute Bane. She easily dodges his attack and slices at his arm. He howls in pain and attempts to attack her again. Kayleth slashes at his leg and forces the big man down. Just as she is about to make a move, he joins her side. Kayleth looks over to see Max holding his arm. Her warrior desire is slowly replaced.

She says, "You are injured and must retreat. He is too much even for you."

Max replies, "Since when did you give me orders? Last I checked it is nothing but a scratch."

Kayleth urges him to retreat only to see Max charge at Bane. He slashes at him only for Bane to knock him back. The impact is strong, but Max stands up. Kayleth blocks his path.

She demands, "I told you to stand down! You are no match for him!"

Kayleth turns to face Bane only to dodge his fist. The speed of Bane has increased tenfold; she leaps away only to see Max try and attack him again. Bane blocks the sword and grips Max by his throat. Max tries to stab him once again; Bane counters his move and crashes his fist into Max's face. The punch sends Max falling to the soil. He doesn't move; Bane follows up his attach by stomping his head. The rage slowly comes back; she can't think of anything else but to slaughter her opponent. Kayleth stands up and roars proudly. Everyone looks to her and sees her powers shine with dark and bright forms. The avatar of Khaine erupts from her soul and begins to burn away the area around her. Bane roars at Kayleth only to feel her strong warp signature. He looks at the eldar leader with great joy. Before he can do anything else, Kayleth rushes at him with speed unseen before; she cuts at Bane in various places. From the eyes of the eldar, everything is near impossible to follow. The imperial army only sees a flash of light. Kayleth stops just behind Bane on the other side of the field. She places her blade back inside its case. Bane turns to face her; he starts groaning in pain. A set of wounds open on him; there are various cuts and slashes that appear on him as he bleeds out. Bane tries to use his powers to heal himself.

He attempts to speak a few words only for Kayleth to grip his throat. With her powers now stronger than ever, Kayleth roars loudly at Bane. Her very flame of Khaine stretches on him. After she lets him go, the fires burn him away until all that is left is ash. The eldar and imperial army can't believe their own eyes. Max is the first to call to her as he pulls himself up.

Kayleth turns and nearly smiles, "Oh Max, you are hurt. Allow me to help you."

Before she steps any more, Kayleth finds lasrifles aimed at her body. She looks around to see her eldar kin ready to use warp rings on her.

Veldoran steps forward and says, "It is over, Kayleth. We are to return to our ship at once."

Kayleth tries to let her new power frighten them, but instead, everyone stops dead in their tracks as Max urges himself forward. With each step he takes, Kayleth can feel her powers drain away. With every breathe he takes, Max shows her no worry. Before anyone can do anything, they all watch as Kayleth smiles with such desire. She looks at Max only for him to show her worried expression.

He says, "Who are you?"

Max reaches for her face and gently touches it. Kayleth moans happily as she looks at him with seductive eyes. Veldoran and the eldar stand ready to grab her. She enjoys the moment as much as possible until Max allows his blank abilities to drain her completely. Kayleth falls to her knees and roar about the pain. Max runs back from her and shouts to Veldoran. With fast feet and reflexes, the eldar warlocks hold Kayleth down with warp rings. Though they contain her need to be satisfied, Max looks on at her. She gazes back at him only to see her hurt and surprised.

 **Chapter 6: Section 6 – 5**

The victory over the orks is still a great celebration; however, the appearance of the Sons of Malice sing tales of trouble. The morale of the guardsmen is low since the last attack. Many families were taken; several groups are dead. All eyes of the imperial army now turn to their leaders for answers. The chance for revenge are slim, but many pray to the emperor that there will be a chance for victory against the terrible chaotic followers of Malice. In the command center, the high ranking officers bickering like mad men. Every tongue shouts out words of damnation. As the silence comes to a halt, the four leaders of the army take to the floor.

Lucas shouts, "Silence, all of you! This is not easy for any of us to just put aside. Yes, the Sons of Malice have made it very clear they wish keep a small foothold on the planet. What they fail to realize is we don't let anything go undone. We have been tracing any and all forms of warp activity one the areas around us; there have been groups of scouting parties marching out. When we get a location on them, we will know where to strike."

A captain says, "How much longer must I wait until the location is discovered? I want revenge against each of those horrid monsters."

Lina interrupts, "The system and tech are searching as fast as they can. I calibrated the system to check the atmosphere for any changes in the density or wind speed. I altered the tech the scouts are using to pick up any faint traces of warp energy that may linger in the air. Even if it is a little, we will get a ping. When we know, you all will know."

A veteran woman asks, "Do we even know how they found a way to attack our fortress without us knowing?"

Carl retorts, "What does an army do? They wait until an opportunity is presented. The Sons of Malice waited until we were unprepared to strike at us. What does an assassin do? They slit the throat of a sleeper to slip in unnoticed. Why did the Sons of Malice attack us in the northwest? They knew exactly when to just strike. I can assure you that won't happen again."

Max raises his hand for the talking to end. Everyone looks to him to hear his thoughts.

He says, "We didn't expect the enemy to catch us slightly prepared for an attack. As we all saw, it didn't last long. For now, we will wait and do what we can against the Sons of Malice. I am certain the eldar are also trying to anticipate their moves too."

A man speaks up, "Noble One, do you believe that even you can help us stop the enemy with what we have? The recent battle has left you nearly unfit to fit. How can you lead us if your arm is out of the fight?"

Max angrily replies, "Do you think a broken arm will stop me from fighting? Do you believe a space marine will let a broken rib or leg prevent him from stepping onto the field? You speak as though I am out of the fight; I assure you that no Son of Malice or his followers will escape from imperial justice or mine. We have come this far. We will go further to stop them. Do you dare face the Emperor of Mankind with such doubt in your leaders?"

The man silences his voice and keeps his head down from the brush of shame.

A woman says, "The enemy is more powerful than before. The simple modifications the Blessed Techno Woman has created won't be enough. If she can't provide us with better equipment, then what else can she offer us?"

Before Lina can speak, Max answers sharply, "The Blessed Techno Woman has given us more than enough upgrades to stop an ork army from rampaging. Lina has worked tireless hours to give you all the weapons you hold now. Her craft is a new blessing; her skills are only second to a hero of old and legend. You would dare stand here and give false words to the one who repairs more weapons, tanks, armor, and equipment than any of the avenge tech-priests?"

The woman finds no way to reply. Lina looks to Max with a degree of happiness.

A third person says, "What is with all this talk? Our enemy is out there and has fled from us before. Why don't we inform the inquisition of the threat we face? Surely, you all see the reason behind this?"

Max turns to the person and says, "And if we inform the inquisition of this events, what then? What can we tell them? They will disband this imperial army and resend all of you to different companies. Many of you may work under a new Lord General. A lot of you will be held by the inquisition for further interrogation. You speak of the threat as though you know? Then tell me, what is the Sons of Malice true target? Surely, we barely stand a chance against them, but we are all that is preventing any more danger to the imperium."

The individual found no means to speak up.

Before any more doubt comes up, Max proudly says, "We are the Imperial army of humanity. It is not just our duty to destroy the forces of chaos, but this is our fight to survive. I see a lot of you wanting to run away. You want to run so far that all of this is behind you. You don't want to face the army of the unknown evils in the galaxy. But I can assure you all that the emperor of mankind would rather face down any evil before he turns his back to run away. So, if you think you can run from this, you can't. Because by the time you get far, it will still be here waiting for you, me, and everyone else you love. I won't run from my problems or challenges; I refuse to back down. Because when my back is against the wall like yours, you will fight to stay alive."

With his words gone forth, Max looks to Lina and Lucas. They both proudly join him and walk out of the room. Carl takes the floor with the officers still unsure.

He says, "Well, what are you all waiting for? This is our war, not the inquisition or the space marines. Let's get out there and support our leaders. We are here to remind the galaxy of why the Imperial Guardians and guardsmen will prevail."

The crowd of ranking officers agree despite the uneasy concern of a few complaints. To those that complain, they are offered a chance to return back to the core words of imperial territory. To the ones that speak harsh words of failure, they are showed to the firing line for execution if they continue. As Carl spreads the words to the Preachers and Confessors of the Ecclesiarchly, Lucas and Lina continue to talk things over with Max.

Lina says, "I appreciate what you said on my behalf. I never thought you believed in my work as strongly as I do."

Lucas adds, "It seems something has you feeling eager to speak up more than before. I hope this is not because of your recent meeting with Kayleth."

Max pats both his associates on the arms and replies, "You both have been in this as long as I have. Yes, I did say and do things that is worthy of execution; however, you both stood beside me and stayed true to me as friends. The least I can do is remain true to you both. For now, we must help the eldar though. They may hate what I have in mind to save their leader."

Lucas and Lina both look at Max with great interest as to what he has in mind. At the eldar camp, they surround her on all sides. They waiting patiently to support their eldar warlocks. The warlocks do what they can to restrain her and try their best to keep the warp rings around her arms, legs, waist, and mind. Every attempt is almost broken by her power; the very warp energy of Khaine sends a few warlocks back to stay from the heat. Veldoran does what he can help them hold her down. Even he feels her powers are too great. Elenwe appears and uses a powerful spell on her to further push down her raging desire. In the center of the Faded Light, Kayleth tries her best to resist the techniques her kin use on her mind.

She cries furiously, "Let me go! I do not need your help! Where is he?!"

A powerful wave of warp energy shoots out from her core; the blast is strong enough to cause even Wraithseer Elenwe to stagger as she holds her ground. Once the spell from Elenwe is complete, the eldar breathe easy and look upon their command with worry.

Veldoran says, "She is slowly giving in to her desires. We tried every technique there is and nothing is slowing her condition. It won't be long before she falls in the same path our fallen kin took; we are out of time."

The eldar all agree that the last resort is at hand until Shelia protests, "Kayleth is our leader. We can't just cast her aside like a worthless _mon-keigh._ "

Elenwe replies, "You speak of great care for her, but Kayleth is refusing any form of treatment from us. If we send her back to our home world, she will be a threat to all. We must destroy her here and now."

The warlocks, Veldoran and Elenwe stand before Kayleth. As they speak the spell, the warp energy gathers around over their head. Kayleth keeps trying to unleash her rage. The madder she gets, the hotter the room becomes.

Kayleth says, "I will break free of this! You can't hold me!"

Within minutes, the spell is nearly ready to stop Kayleth. As the other eldar look on and stand ready, they watch as the flames of Khaine begin to break the warp rings. Elenwe orders all eldar to retreat from the ship. They do so as Kayleth allows her emotions and thoughts to feed her the want to break free. The warp energy is gathered; Kayleth has lost control. Veldoran steps forward and looks at her with sadness.

He says, "It has been an honor to serve with you. We will recover your spirit stone upon the end of this."

Kayleth roars loudly once final time. As Veldoran speaks the last spell and unleashes the warp sphere, it slowly fades away. Kayleth lets her fury break the warp rings with ease as the entire ship shakes from within. With the roar of her mighty cry, Kayleth sends a tremendous warp surge into the sky. As the area shakes, all the eldar retreat away from the ship save only Veldoran and Elenwe.

Veldoran thought, _"How is this possible?"_

Elenwe thought, _"May our ancestors protect us."_

Kayleth cries, "I am not to be denied what I desire!"

The Faded Light cracks open once more as Kayleth leaps out in front of the eldar. She stands angry and infuriated; the eldar would approach her, but instead, they are more worried as to why this new event is happening. Kayleth slowly calms her fury and looks back her kin with the warp enhancing her eyes. No more than a few yards from them, she feels an empty void come at her. With her eyes unable to see what is approaching, she allows her warp energy to die away. She licks her lips to enjoy what is coming; Elenwe reappears ahead of everyone only to see the last person that needs to be around.

She says, "Why are you here, Max?"

The eldar slowly back up as his blank powers sends them a void, cold feeling. As they watch his back, the others of the imperial army stand unsure as to why he is meddling in the affairs of the eldar. Veldoran is helped up by his warlocks; he can feel what is coming. He would stop the madness were it not for his wounds. Max slowly approaches Elenwe. She readies her spear to stab him. He stops only a few feet from her.

Max says, "A long time ago, your commander saved my life at the point of being killed by my friends. I am now here to do the same thing for her. I am here to save your commander; I won't let her end up like Rela did."

Elenwe and the eldar are left unsure as to what Max has in mind. They back away more as the blank abilities stretch further out. Most eldar flee from Max and put enough distance from him.

Elenwe says, "You cannot be near her. She must give into her desires."

Max slowly raises his hand towards Elenwe. She feels the void just brush near her only to back up and shriek.

Max replies, "Please, allow me to save your Kayleth as she has done for me. I promise you all that she won't fall from her grace. I give you my word."

As Max continues to walk forward, Elenwe backs away in pain and continues to wonder what will happen. The eldar watch as Max finds his way towards Kayleth. The eldar commander nearly lets her heart jump with joy; Kayleth slowly approaches Max unsure as to what the other eldar will do. Many eldar standby and watch the events unfold. Max steps to Kayleth and looks at her from head to toe. He sees her as beautiful as before; her soul shines less brightly to her kin. She breathes slowly and looks at Max.

Kayleth asks curiously, "Max, have you come to see me?"

Max steps to her; Kayleth lets out a small shudder, but she keeps her guard up.

He says, "I am here to see you. We must go to a safe spot alone; I want to look upon you privately."

Max opens his hand to her. Kayleth takes his hand with a nervous smile and tries her best to savor the thoughts. Before they step any more, a warp sphere passes by them. They look to see Veldoran struggle to stand.

Veldoran shouts, "You must not take her from us!"

Before Kayleth can speak, Max assures the great enchanter that no harm will come to her at all. The eldar, Elenwe, and Veldoran look on to see Max guide Kayleth away. In the eyes of the eldar, Kayleth may not come back as bright as she is. In the eyes of the humans, Max is making a foolish mistake. Max continues to take her slowly away from the others. He radios the soldiers at the fortress to notify Lucas, Lina, and Carl about his task.

He adds, "Oh and be sure that you try and keep the eldar focused on their skills for now. I am going to be a while on this."

Kayleth nearly jumps for joy in her heart; every thought and emotion grows slightly into darker thoughts. She slowly breathes and wets her lips. Her heart rate beats at a steady pace for what is to come. Max looks back to check on her. He sees her eyes flash a different color; the irises change to red orange then crimson red. Max feels that the time for her is growing short. He quickness his pace and takes her away. At the fortress, the temper of the eldar is high as they question Lucas. Max's new approach for Kayleth has damned her further down the road to ruin; Shelia and Veldoran demand an explanation for such an atrocity.

Veldoran says, "Your friend has stepped too far beyond his reach. You must stop this."

Lucas replies, "I can't stop someone who is a soulless person. Sure, he can die like any other person, but we don't know how dangerous it will be for us."

Shelia roars, "How can your friend do this to us?!"

Carl cries, "You dare question Max's commitment?"

Lina steps between the two and answers, "All we can do is wait. If Kayleth saved Max before, then Max will save Kayleth this time. For now, he made it clear that we are to not approach them. So, we will wait."

As both factions wait, Elenwe continues to widen her search. Her ability to sense warp fissures left behind have greatly benefit her. For every attempt made by the Sons of Malice, Elenwe digs deeper. Her findings from every fissures of warp remains keep telling her that the enemy is beyond the halo zone of the galaxy. As much as Elenwe sees where the next enemy can be at, she prays that the coming events do not destroy the future of her kin.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

 _"_ _We all experience emotions to a degree on the highs and lows. Rage can blind us to the reasons. Sadness will cause us to give up. Happiness can give us pleasure that words can't explain. Of all the emotions, the most dangerous yet undying of them will always be love. The only flaw when love is involved is the desire that comes with it."_

 **Chapter 7: Section 7 – 1**

The air is cool and breezing; it pushes the leafs softly. The sun shines proudly this afternoon. Many things continue to go on and thrive. The animals hunt for fruit, prey, and plants to feast on. The insects crawl around on the ground to survive; the sound of everything around the area is peaceful. The ground is disturbed by the walking of the humans. At their side, elder of the craft world Alaitoc walk softly. They gaze out into the land to see what they can find; there is nothing for them to see. Imperial soldiers look through scopes to see what the human eyes can find. No signs of movement; no heat signatures to discover. Every attempt is meant with failure. For each time the radio coms broadcast nothing new, the rage stirs within. At the center of the imperial fortress, the elder stand and wait. Many are left unsure; the few leading them are filled with unexplained questions. Lucas, Carl, and Lina try their best to keep their close allies at peace. The only issue is how far will they allow some things to go unchecked.

Veldoran angrily says, "Your friend does more to her than any has ever done. How long must we wait and leave them alone before she is not the same as we have seen her?"

Lucas answers, "Calm yourself, Veldoran. I am sure Max is not about to do anything too hasty to her. He may be crazy, but I see good in him. Is this situation any better for me? No, it is not. I also feel this is something that shouldn't happen given what your commander has been through."

Shelia approaches Lucas with rage-filled eyes, "You and your _mon-keigh_ friends know nothing of what Kayleth is enduring. Ever since he laid eyes on her, your friend has been an infection that can't be gone from her sight. You would do well to remember that all of this started since he marked her."

Carl interrupts, "And you would do well to recall that your farseer ended up on this planet after one of your _'needs'_ to save your own kind. Max is no threat to us. It is only you wide-eye xenos that fear him."

Before another word comes from any, a powerful shriek is heard. Everyone rushes from their post to find the source of the commotion. In the near the Faded Light, Wraithseer Elenwe howls in pain and unleash a powerful warp blast to the sky. She allows her powers to erupt greatly before finally resting her rage. Veldoran and Shelia appear beside her.

Elenwe says, "I can give us what we need, but I require help. Is there any word from Kayleth?"

They both deliver the sad news of where she may be. Instead of rage, the great wraithseer Elenwe begs an audience with the others. It didn't take long for her to inform Lina, Lucas and Carl of what comes next. They all speed up their effort to try and locate the other two needed. The day goes on and more challenges are coming to them. With no more orks looting the planet, the imperial army and elder of Alaitoc will face their next journey with hope.

Far away on a small island in the east, he checks his surroundings. No movement in the bushes and no rustling leafs on the ground. Everything is silent; the water is rolling in from the shore line. He takes a moment to admire the view of it.

Max thought, _"This is what I love about being here? It is quiet and relaxing. Everything I hear has a soothing sound to it."_

He turns to see no sign of her and looks to the tree line. Max scratches his head in confusion.

He thought, _"Where did she go to?"_

Just as he is about to use a device, an unseen force shoves him to the ground. He tries to move his hands only to feel a grip on them. Suddenly, a set of lips lock with his and small moans are heard. She slowly loses her warp stealth to keep herself hidden from his eyes; Max pauses as he looks into the eyes of desire. Kayleth smiles at him greatly. As Max tries to not show concern for her ill condition, he uses his blank powers to further weaken the warp around Kayleth.

She says, "Oh Max, there is no need to weaken me if I am already yours."

Max replies, "I am only looking out for you, Kayleth. And you have answers that I require. But first, can you get off me."

Kayleth smiles seductively as her eyes flash crimson red; she leaps up from Max. He stands on his feet. Max didn't think the emotions of the elder can be stronger than any other being in the galaxy. He clears away the sand from his clothes and looks at Kayleth move closer to him; the smell from her is sweeter than sugar canes. She smiles at Max with great enthusiasm. Before she can share a kiss with him, Max stops her to question what is happening.

He says, "Kayleth, what is going through your mind right now? What happen between you and that woman?"

Kayleth inhales and exhales heavily, "I am focused only one what is happening now. I want more of you than I ever. You have completed me and shown me more that there is to accept. Is this not enough? Am I not enough for you, Max?"

Max sighs and pulls away. Kayleth becomes worried and nearly allows her dark emotions to cloud her thoughts.

"I only want to understand what you are enduring now," he said. Max continues, "Based on what my allies have learned from Veldoran and Elenwe, you are traveling down a dark path away from the light of being pure. They believe that you will end up like Rela did; they are certain that I am the cause of your fall from grace. So, tell me. How does this display of affection to me now make you feel? How does it cause you to fall from a grace?"

Kayleth lowers her head and turns to the sea. She gazes out into the distance and tries to recall everything the elder have done. It brings her sadness.

She says, "A long time ago, we were the masters of the galaxy. The elder held absolute authority over all the stars and planets. There was no other species in the universe that could withstand our might. The orks were annoying yet persistent; the Tau were so primitive like you. The forces of the Dark Gods were ever scheming. Even the necron armies were nothing more than slight irritations to our great empire. We, the eldar, were the greatest rulers at the height of our empire. Even before your kind took to the stars, we enjoyed everything the galaxy offered us. We explored the deep corners of warp and found more than just ourselves there; I can still remember all of the great wonders of the galaxy that surprised me. That was a long time ago. During that time, many great farseers of old could see the coming disaster that would be created by us. I remember entering my last cycle of rebirth. It is still horrifying to see my kin and people fall so far from being pure and bright. The extreme measure of their want to experience every sensation still haunts my mind at times. The further they explore their desires, the stronger the urge becomes harder to resist. As time went on, many of the wise and great eldar farseers saw what was coming. When my world was abandon, a part of me was left behind. All that changed when _She Who Thirsts_ was born. Now, look at us. We are trying to hold on and survive."

Kayleth turns to Max and continues, "You want to understand what I am enduring? You can't understand me. My emotions are as they should be. Can you love me as who I am now?"

Max approaches her; Kayleth slightly breathes hard. He holds her softly.

He says, "I will try to understand you as you are now. I won't let you end up as Rela. And yes, you are not going down the wrong path."

Kayleth begins to feel vulnerable to Max's words; she moans softly and presses up against him. Max cuts the tender moment short by allowing his radio com to contact him.

A voice says, "Noble One, you are needed back at base. If you see the eldar commander, please pass the message on to her. Something has come up."

Kayleth becomes infuriated and replies, "Must they bother us now?"

Max says, "Those are our friends and allies. We must go back; there will be plenty of time for me to understand what is happening to you."

Before he can signal the nearest shuttle with a flare, Kayleth locks lips with him again.

She says, "I will hold you to it, Max."

Kayleth leaps through a warp portal and heads back to the fortress. Max launches a flare to call for help. As Max sits back, he thinks of how affectionate Kayleth is. Despite the warnings of his friends and allies, Max sees her in a new light. After time goes on, Max arrives back at the imperial fortress. With the high ranking officers and commanders together, the time has come for more news to surprise them. Max speaks with Lina and Lucas; Carl is keeping order. With the gathering underway, Carl gives the reports to Lucas. Shortly, Max addresses everyone based on what he was told.

Max says, "Our enemy is attacking us from a place beyond the eye of the galaxy. The eldar are trying to find out where they are coming from. The most we have been told is that the Sons of Malice may be using this place as a staging ground. Make no mistake understanding, anything beyond the halo zone of this universe will come as a surprise to us."

Lucas joins him, "We all heard of some stories from those who have went out of the halo zone. Many planets are untouched by the Emperor's light; others have ghosts of the dead and there are even tales of lifeforms too horrifying to describe. Whatever the reason, we know that the Sons of Malice are out there. The wraithseer will discover their location. Once we have it, we will undertake a dangerous journey beyond this galaxy to face the enemy. Prepare yourself, your companies, and your weapons. We will not be caught unprepared."

The commanders and officers acknowledge the orders; they begin their war-prep as fast as they can. With the stories of what lies out of the halo zone, many begin to truly believe this will end badly. As the last officers leave, Max turns to face his three closest allies. They look at him with wonder and study his movement. Max raises an eye brow and wonders what is going on.

Carl says, "You seem steady and at peace. Is there anything you want to tell us?"

Before he can reply, Lucas begs to speak with him privately. Lina protests the idea of a private chat; Carl questions what the reason is. Instead of ordering his officer and lover to leave, he pleads.

Lucas says, "I understand you want to know if Max is ok with what he is doing with Kayleth; however, he is still the same. All is well and going to be better. I need you two to make sure everyone is ready for the journey. It won't take the eldar long to find the place our enemy is at."

Carl salutes his leader and heads out; Lina kisses him greatly and goes to alert her tech teams. Max and Lucas stand alone in the chamber with words for each other.

Max says, "You know something is up to dismiss them away quickly with flavored words of kindness. What is going on?"

Lucas sighs and replies, "You are in more trouble than ever. I just hope this doesn't make things worse for the eldar and us."

Before Max can ask what is his meaning, a warp portal opens in front of him. Shelia leaps out at Max and tries to cut him down as he moves away as fast as he can. Lucas tries to ease her fury, but Veldoran appears to stop him. The two look on to see Shelia drives Max back against the wall. Just as she is about to strike him, Max allows his blank abilities to stretch around the area. The warp portal collapses; Shelia becomes weaken by the anti-warp abilities. Max twists her arms as she roars and struggles to be free. He holds Shelia with her arm twist behind her back; Veldoran turns to their direction with Lucas stepping in between them. All he can do is beg everyone to calm down.

 **Chapter 7: Section 7 – 2**

The rage is ready to burst; the trust is nearly broken. Yet, hope endures even when all is thrown against it. Max holds Shelia by her arm with his gun pointed at Lucas. Veldoran aims his palm at Max with a warp blast ready. Lucas stands in the center to do what he can; he lowers his hands and looks to both.

Lucas says, "Stay where you are Max. Calm down, please. You too, Veldoran. You both went too far."

Max angrily replies, "You wish to talk about _'too far'_ moments? Yes, let's point out how far you went to agree with Veldoran to kill me."

Veldoran answers sharply, "If there is any at fault here, it is you Max. You can't be with her or near Kayleth no more. You must die."

Shelia struggles more, but the anti-warp abilities keep her weak, "You have corrupt Kayleth too much. You must die in order for her to be free of your madness."

Lucas fires his gun in the air. All three look at him as though he is possessed.

He says, "This is not the time for that. We have more pressing issues to worry over; Max, I didn't know they would try to kill you given the fact you saved them from a daemon years ago. Veldoran, you should have just told me that you wanted to eliminate him. I understand that Max caused Kayleth to be different, but we have more dangerous threats to handle than this. We are all on the same side."

Veldoran lowers his palm, "You understand nothing. You are as careless as Max is."

With Shelia finally breaking free of Max's hold, she leaps from him.

She says, "Take heed _mon-keigh_. I will slay you if she has to die by our hands."

The two eldar leave. Just as Lucas tries to apologize, Max punches him in the jaw.

Lucas says, "Yeah, I deserve that for trusting them so much."

Max calms his rage and helps him up, "Yeah, you do. Don't do that again. Plus, they will need our help more than ever now. If what you told us is true, then the journey will be dangerous. To venture out into the zones beyond this universe is to invite danger to ourselves. Are you sure Elenwe knows what she is doing?"

Lucas says, "I know that she has not lied to me so far, but I don't want us going too far beyond the point of no return. So, here is hope for the greatness of the human empire. IF we go, we will have to be ready."

As the two agree on the matter at hand, the eldar stand ready. They all watch the center of the area. All around, every eldar present pours their warp energy into the center. They all pray to their ancestors that the spell will work. Wraithseer Elenwe stands in the center completely immobilize. She feels at peace, yet Elenwe understands the dangers of stretching across the sea of stars. Just below her, Kayleth stands firm and ready. She is unnerved and steady; the warp spell excites her to a degree. With her powers stretching around the area, all eyes fall on the eldar ship. They can't believe how amazing the area is; the massive amount of warp energy sings out loudly to all who look upon it. The sight of it leaves every human in awe. With her powers finally stretched to the fullest capabilities, Elenwe looks deep beyond the reaches of the galaxy; she pierces beyond the veils of the warp. Her flow of warp power mixed with her soul calls out to every daemon of the warp. Suddenly, she comes to a planet. It is full of life. Every plant shines every so brightly. Before she can investigate further, a sudden force halts her progress. With soul being pulled at, Elenwe returns back to her destination on Saneesh. The last few words she recalls from the unknown planet terrify her.

" _You will only find death waiting for you."_

The eldar watch as their farseer crumbles to the ground. Despite the painful experience of stretching across the galaxy through unknown space, Elenwe was able to achieve what she needs.

She says, "I know where the enemy hides. We must look pass this halo and go further to face them."

As the eldar understand what must be done, Kayleth agrees to go and inform their allies of what must be done. Before she can leave, she is approached by her closest kin. Shelia, Veldoran, and Elenwe stop her just as she is about to leap through a warp portal.

Shelia says, "It is best if I go and inform the humans of our next journey. You must not succumb to any more temptations."

Rather than allow her emotions to cloud her better judgement, Kayleth nods her head in agreement. After Shelia leaves, her closes warlock and farseer look upon her.

Veldoran says, "You seem to shine less bright for a long time. Yet, something causes you trouble. What is it?"

Kayleth replies, "There is nothing that causes me to feel devote to my kin. If you are worried about my time spent with Max, it is nothing. I will still put my kin first before anything else."

Elenwe adds, "If that is so, then let us test your devotion. As your kin and farseer, I want to see if you are still the same Autarch of craftworld Alaitoc."

In the command center, everyone keeps their mind, eyes, hands, and body busy with work. Some calibrate machines; a handful modify their weapons. It is an important task to the soldiers of the Imperial Guard to keep their skills ready and at peak condition. Lucas and Lina continue to improve on their own weapons; Max joins them to look over the designs. A warp portal opens beside them; Shelia steps out and greets her allies with the news of what has happen. The news gives them pause, but they all knew what would come next. Shelia takes her leave of them to rejoin her kin. Lina, Lucas, and Max discuss what they will say to the others.

Lucas says, "At least we know that our enemies are beyond this galaxy; the only concerns are what we will find out there. The stories of the planets untouched by the Emperor's light is frightening for those who managed to return. It is rare to hear about even a planet full of life outside of the halo zone. If we go, we may not be able to return to this side of the galaxy. The warp is much more dangers to travel without a guide."

Max replies, "And how long should we wait until they have what they need to return to us as a threat? You and I see what they can do; our eldar allies know what is coming. We know that they are after us and will gladly sacrifice us to their Dark God to see him return. Malice seeks to destroy not only us but his own allies. The Sons of Malice have to be dealt with. Even if we must go beyond the zone we are in, we will prevent one evil from destroying everything we worked to build."

Lina adds, "What you both say is right. To journey beyond the halo zone of this galaxy is to travel through dark space with no navigation. If we find this world, how do we know if we can return? To stop the Sons of Malice from achieving their goal is a priority that we can undertake. This will allow our other forces to stop whatever plans the orks, tyranids, necrons, or chaos followers are performing. The only concerns are the two unknowns and two possible futures. Our first concern is facing this enemy; however, the eldar know where to find this planet. Would they gladly go with us through dark space to find this planet? Not to mention, we are going where none dare to travel. We face threats that no one has ever seen. Do we have the means to fight it? Those should be our real concerns. The unknowns are what the future holds for us. This can end badly for us; it can end greatly for us. I urge you both to think this carefully before we leap into the maw of the unknown dark space."

They all think hard on their choices until Carl interrupts them with daily reports on the imperial fortress.

He says, "Our reactors are operating a peak condition. Every weapon is stored on the War Harbinger and in each barrack around the fortress. No lack of focus has gone from none of our new recruits for the imperial guardians, imperial guard, ogyrns, storm troopers, and scouts. We now have more than five million people living on the planet. More areas are being colonized for us to improve on their condition."

Lucas reads over the other parts of the report; Lina monitors the systems on her devices. Max lowers his head. Carl looks at the three with some surprise.

Carl says, "I take it you all are lost in thoughts on what to inform us of?"

Lucas looks up and answers, "We are just debating over what is the best course to take."

Max adds, "For now, there is nothing new. We will keep you informed."

Lina keeps her voice silent. The three commanding officers are lost in thought on what to say to their soldiers. Carl sighs and nearly laughs at the trio.

He says, "If you are worried about how the army will handle the news, then you need not think so hard on it. We faced the rage of the orks when War Boss Bone Snappa attacked us. We endured the sinister plot of the dark eldar; the eldar of Alaitoc fought at our side as we stood before a Great Daemon of Chaos. Where we go, we will be faced with danger regards. The only question is this: _**will you tell us everything or leave us in the dark?**_ I trust your choices. You are the three we follow into war. When you are ready, I'll rally the others. For now, I will keep everyone focused on their tasks."

Carl takes his leave. Max and Lucas stop him from going. They all sit together and discuss what needs to be done.

Lina happily smiles and says, "If we are going into dark space to a foreign world, then I will construct our own beacons to bring us back here should anything go wrong. Once we established it, we will make another on the new planet to connect us to the home world. We will be prepared for what horrors await us in the new world we are going. My tech-priests will begin finding new ways to enhance the weapons we have."

Once she leaves, Lucas and Max agree with their previous commitment. They will announce to all the news of their next journey; the only trouble is will they have support. As the able leaders begin their preparations, the each give one another the support needed. Back near the eldar camp, a strike towards her cause the banshee to leap away. A second warrior strikes at the opponent; the blow forces her to take a defensive posture. Before another move is made, a strong warp blast strikes the backside of her. She falls hard to the soil. Instead of staying down, she pulls herself up and stands ready to go again. Many eldar warriors and warlocks didn't believe Kayleth is ready for more; however, three of the eldar didn't want to accept her new change. Veldoran orders his warlocks to fire more warp shots at her; Kayleth easily dodges them. Shelia howls at her banshees to strike at her quickly. The eldar warriors easily force Kayleth to maintain her defenses. The words of doubt begin to swirl in their heads.

" _Is she unfit? Can she still lead us? Has her resolve weaken?"_

The more the doubts come forth, the less they attack her. Veldoran orders his warlocks to stand down as he steps to the center. Kayleth looks at him with a relaxed guard.

He says, "You have changed. You are not as bright as before."

Kayleth gasps at his words, but understands why. Not once has any of her attacks been strong enough to give an average eldar pause. Wraithseer Elenwe steps forward with Shelia at her side. The other eldar return to the Faded Light and wait for further instructs.

Elenwe says, "You let him change you Kayleth; we can't rely on you to lead us if he is now your concern more than us."

Kayleth answers, "I did not want this, but I understand. Is this how I must be forever?"

Shelia says, "You will always be welcome to fight at our side, but not as our Autarch anymore. We will find a suitable one to replace you. For now, rest your mind and body."

As her companions leave her side, Kayleth looks down at her hands. No more does she feel the need to be wrathful than before. There is peace; she feels it. As she thinks of what will be her future, her thoughts turn to Max. Normally, she could find peace with her own thoughts and be ready to handle the next battle. Now, she faces something that can't be explained. With her heart full of joy and sorrow, Kayleth leaves to find the one person who can be there for her more than before. Max sends off his troops for their final task. He turns to hear and see a warp portal open before him. She steps out from it. Max is glad to see her, but he sees sadness in her eyes. As before, many soldiers step away and give them privacy. Max walks up to Kayleth and sees her concern.

He says, "You seem sad. What is wrong?"

Kayleth lowers her head, "They have seen my flaws; I cannot lead the eldar no more. A new Autarch will be chosen among my kin."

Max allows his rage to nearly overcome him. He slams his fists on a nearby crate. The rage caught everyone's attention.

He roars, "This is unacceptable. I will not allow them to do this to you after everything you have obtain and done for them. You are going back there to show them why you are the best choice for your kind."

Before she can speak, Max takes her by the hand and squeezes tight. She begs Max to understand the reason behind this. Max turns and holds her tightly. The others look on with curious eyes.

Max says, "You may be different, but you are still fit to lead your eldar warriors in battle against any enemy. You just need the right touch. Now, let's go back to your allies and show them why you are meant to lead."

Max starts walking ahead of her; she looks on and decides to follow him in hopes of preventing a problem from breaking out. One of the soldiers contacts Lucas about the situation. He quickly gathers up his gear and informs Lina of what Max is about to do.

Lina says, "Why is Max so upset over what the eldar do?"

Lucas replies, "The eldar are our allies right now; we need to keep it that way. The way they handle their own kind is not for us to interfere."

 **Chapter 7: Section 7 – 3**

The time has come for her to rise up and accept her new position; a new Autarch has been chosen to lead craftworld Alaitoc into glory against the forces of evil. The proper rites for such a title have been done. She bows her head and utters the words of conviction among her kin.

She says, "I am Shelia of craftworld Alaitoc. I stand before you all and accept my new charge to lead our kin. My word is absolute; my purpose is clear. No enemy can withstand the might I possess. From the farthest reaches of space, I will face my enemy with no remorse. To the dry landscapes of the worlds, I will endure for the future. Nothing is beyond me; all will fear the wrathful eldar of Alaitoc."

The eldar banshees speak, "May your strength guide us forward!"

The eldar warlocks cry, "May your power be unmatched!"

The eldar dire avengers shout, "May your vision be strong as Khaine!"

The eldar warp spiders say, "And may your path lead us to victory!"

The eldar all roar, "The craftworld of Alaitoc shall prevail against the enemies!"

Shelia stands up and accepts her new role. As much as the eldar want to stand on ceremony, they have their new mission. They await word from Shelia.

Veldoran approaches her, "What shall we do now? Elenwe has shown us where we are to go if we must face the Sons of Malice."

Shelia replies, "We will journey to our next nearby eldar craftworld and asks for additional help. We are strong, but we must have more before we begin."

As the eldar slowly accept their new leader, the area starts to feel cold. Many warlocks begin to feel the uncomfortable void come at them. As the eldar look around, they find the source slowly just beside them. They all gather no more than a few yards from the source; many can't believe she would dare bring him here. Max calls to the eldar leaders. Shelia leads the way with her small escort near her. Her rage is kept in checked for fear of what Max can do.

Shelia angrily says, "What do you want?"

Max replies, "I hear you are the new Autarch of the eldar. I have come to tell you that you are mistaken. Kayleth is still the rightful one."

Veldoran watches from the rear with their sight enhanced by their warp powers; the void of Max causes some harm to him.

Shelia shakes her head in annoyance, "You must be foolish if we are going to follow her. She is no longer shinning as we use to see her; her focus is not as strong as it should be. Your actions caused her to be less bright."

Max replies, "You may believe her to be not as strong as she is, but I assure you that Kayleth is more powerful than ever. This is a difficult time for her, but she is still here leading you into battle and fighting against the enemies we all face. How can you say she is less than before?"

Kayleth watches and says no words; Shelia notices this trait and shakes her head in disappointment.

She says, "So, you now let this _mon-keigh_ speak for you? I expected more from you than this Kayleth."

She replies, "You would do well to remember that I was…"

Shelia interrupts, "Exactly! You 'were' our leader; however, your actions show us that you are unfit to lead us. You are no longer worthy of being the Autarch of Alaitoc."

Max steps forward; the eldar nearly jump away for fear of him.

He says, "What must she do to regain your trust?"

Before a word is spoken, Elenwe surprises everyone by appearing before everyone. Her sudden appearance brings shock to all. Just as fast as she shows up, the imperial army led by Lucas shows up just out of range. They hold back and wait to see what will happen.

Elenwe looks to Kayleth and Max; she looks over to Shelia. There is only way for this to be decided.

She says, "You wish to see Kayleth restored to her title? Then, she must be willing to invoke the rite of combat."

Before she can accept the challenge, Max happily says, "She will take any challenge you unleash upon her. She is ready."

Kayleth agrees to the duel. Shelia stands ready to defend her status. As the eldar begin to make preparations for Shelia, Max pulls Kayleth to the side. Instead of a comforting embrace, Max receives a slap to his face. Lucas and sees the commotion from his scope and advises every soldier to stand back. They would wait until the news comes to them from their crazy commander.

Max caresses his face, "Well I'm glad you are able to be mad, but why did you slap me for?"

Kayleth groans in anger, "Why must you push for more when I have what I want? I would have happily accepted the former title of not being an Autarch anymore. Now, I must duel Shelia to earn it back. Why did you bring me back to this?"

Max answers, "Because I can see that you are still unsure. Yes, it is easy to let go, but I don't want you this way. I still want you to be at your best for your kind."

In a fit of rage, Kayleth allows her warp powers to push out from her very body. The sudden surprise catches everyone's attention. Many eldar begin to wonder if this will be a chance for them to lose their new Autarch.

Kayleth says, "I do not need you to interfere, Max. This is my choice and not yours."

Max smiles at her and replies, "Now there is the Kayleth I know. She can be sweet when it is time, but right now, I need you to be the same as you are now."

She didn't follow none of the logic Max shows her. One moment, he desires her to love him. Later, he wishes for her to show him more rage than concern. As the two bicker, Lucas and his company look on. Kayleth takes her leave of Max. With everything going on, Lucas readies his voice for the questions he would ask Max. Once Max arrives, he looks ahead at what will come their way.

Lucas says, "You are a very crazy man; I have met my fair share of those who are out of their mind but none like you. Now you seek to see the eldar undo their choice? I suppose next you will try and tell them what their future holds."

Max says, "If we are going to get the eldar to help us, Kayleth has to be the one who leads them. Shelia is strong and tough; however, Kayleth has been at it longer than any of them. I have my own reasons for her retaking back her title. And she can do it."

Kayleth floats calmly in an open spot alone; she stops and turns around with her blade ready to strike. She is approached by Veldoran.

He says, "Your other half is more of a fool than ever. If he truly believes you can win, I am more than willing to support him if all happens accordingly. My only worry is how you will fight for your title back."

She says, "I do not understand him. Max is proving more and more confusing in his words and actions each time with me. What do you believe is going through his mind?"

Veldoran answers, "I can't say for sure. He won't tell me either. For now, he truly believes that you will be the right one to lead us. For now, I will not say no words but watch."

In less than an hour, the eldar stand around the outer edges of the duel grounds. The bone singers constructed an ancient dueling ground with more than enough space to for them to battle until the end. Shelia takes her place in the center of the duel grounds and cries fiercely to her kin. The majority support her; they believe in her. Kayleth walks near the area only for Max to call her. She looks back and sees him coming. With no eldar wanting to be near him, Kayleth hears his words.

He says, "I came here to support you. You will win this and claim victory over her."

Kayleth gives him a smile; he still sees her doubt, but Max smiles as she steps into the duel area. Shelia draws her blade out; Kayleth does the same. There is a moment of pause in their actions. With one loud battle cry, Shelia leaps at Kayleth to test her mettle. The swords clash against each other; the eldar watch and patiently wait to see which one of them will prevail over the other. As their body twist and spin around the area, Kayleth and Shelia show no pause. They go about ten rounds before the surprise happens. Shelia easily knocks Kayleth down. The few humans in the area are left in utter amazement; Kayleth quickly recovers only to receive a small cut near her cheek. The attack forces her to leap away from Shelia.

Shelia says, "Your attacks are less than what they are. Did you get weak since your time spent with Max, or is this how you will be remembered?"

Kayleth stands on her feet. She lets out a small growl; there is something wrong. Every single man, woman, and eldar look on with anticipation. Shelia raises an eye brow and tries to understand what is going on. With her hand gripping her light blue blade, Kayleth sprints pass Shelia. No one understands what has happened until a cry of pain is heard from Shelia; she falls to her knees and discovers her stomach has a slash mark on it. Shelia leaps away only to feel her neck receive a powerful smack to it. The pain is too much; she stumbles to the ground. Max didn't understand what is happening. Veldoran and other warlocks move in to end the trial of combat. The eldar fear the worst would happen to Kayleth. Before any warlock can summon a spell, Kayleth unleashes her wrath; the power of Khaine erupts from within her. Before she can get out of hand, Max steps before her. Not knowing if he can calm her fury, he takes on the full force of her power. The eldar and humans present can't believe how strong Kayleth is; they are flabbergasted by how unusual Max has become. Kayleth looks into Max's eyes. He can see the rage come from her.

He says, "Kayleth! Calm your rage! It is ok! You don't need to fight any more!"

Kayleth roars, "Stand aside _mon-keigh_! I shall reclaim what is mine!"

In that moment of rage, Max finally understood why the eldar were set on replacing Kayleth. The raw power of Kayleth was slowly making her as corrupt as Rela. In a display of madness, Max rushes upon Kayleth and holds her. He allows his abilities as a blank to cancel the warp powers around the area. All the eldar jump back and feel the cold void surround them; the force from Max nearly causes all eldar to howl in pain. Kayleth calms her fury as she is weakened by the anti-warp powers. She finds herself in the arms of Max with her kin watching. She slowly breaks down and sheds a tear; Max lets her go. Before he can inquire about her condition, Kayleth leaps through a warp portal and is seen no more. The eldar can't believe what is happening. Veldoran leaps towards Max and crushes his fist against his face; Max stumbles to the ground only to find Veldoran standing over him ready to kill him.

He says, "You have forsaken our ways for the last time. I will only say this to you as a warning on your life. Stay away from us and away from Kayleth. Your needs have caused her more than just pain."

As Veldoran turns away from him, Max stands up and replies, "I still believe she is the rightful one for you. Surely, you must see…"

Elenwe appears before Max. Her size nearly frightens Max.

She says, "You have done more harm to us than help. Please, stay from her if you still desire to continue this alliance."

With her final plea heard, Max lowers his head in sadness. He agrees to do so and takes his leave of the area. As the eldar try and nurse Shelia back to health, everything begins to fall apart. Is the Max's love for Kayleth too much? Did he go too far with his wants? None can say at the moment. As the final days of Lina's project come to an end, many of the imperial army begin to question if the eldar are still committed to helping them. A few handful of soldiers damn Max for the problems he caused; others try to understand what the eldar will say. Lucas and Max go over a few more details of the beacon Lina's tech teams made. Throughout the entire conversation, Max only agrees and replies very little. Lucas sighs and looks to him.

He says, "It may have been done out of the kindness of your own heart, but this is their way. You can't expect everything to go the way you want it."

Max only sighs. He makes no responses; Lucas honors him and takes up the remaining part of reports. With a heavy heart, Max retires from the command center and goes to his own quarters. Lina comes in and gives her lover the final report; she takes notice that Max is not with him.

She says, "Was it that bad? Is the alliance between us and the eldar still strong?"

Lucas answers, "For now, we are all giving each other space. The two most important ones that need it are Max and Kayleth. He shouldn't have pushed her so hard to retake back something she will gladly give up. If anything, the eldar may not go with us."

Lina holds Lucas by his hands, "Whatever happens, we will all be ready for it."

As the two lock hands and share a moment, they pray to the Great Omnissiah and Immortal Emperor of Mankind that all is not lost for them.

 **Chapter 7: Section 7 – 4**

The air is cool; it blows pass everyone. The recent events between the eldar and imperial army have gone sour. Many eldar have considered leaving the planet to seek a new path for the craftworld; some want to end all contact between their allies permanently. None can say for sure how things will go. Every choice of words hangs on the next problem that will occur. At the eldar camp, they all meditate on what has happen to Kayleth, Shelia, and Max. Not a single thought of elimination has left the eldar mind. Only a few want to understand why Max did what he did. He urged Kayleth to retake her former role as Autarch; the foolish _mon-keigh_ not only violated the trial by combat but made the recent Autarch suffer at the hands of the less bright one. Veldoran is lost in words of worry and rage; Shelia is hurt yet at peace. Out of all the eldar there, a certain one keeps hope for everything that has happen. Elenwe expands her voice for only one person to hear. It goes across the sky and signals her closest kin.

She says, "Are you ok? Where are your thoughts at?"

In the farthest reaches of the land, she expresses more sorrow than others can understand.

Kayleth says, "My thoughts are twisted with words that I do not have knowledge of nor have been taught. I only wish to understand them. Tell me, wraithseer Elenwe. What will happen now?"

Elenwe replies, "I do not know what comes to us. For now, I am looking into the future. All I see are events that show me promise for us if we journey beyond the halo zone with our allies. By going with them, we will discover ancient places and achieve more to our cause. There are a few setbacks during the journey, but each one gives us more. If we choose not to travel with them, our path will take us back to our craftworld for defense. The humans on other imperial worlds will assist; they will strike with us at the heart of our enemies. Each battle will bring us closer to achieving more support yet none can say if we will be successful."

The very word _'setbacks'_ causes Kayleth to become intrigued by its meaning.

Kayleth asks, "What sort of _setbacks_ are we to encounter?"

At the imperial fortress, he keeps to himself and thinks back to what has happen to him and her. Each step has caused her to fallen further from grace. Max didn't know what to do any more to make her smile. He knows that something is wrong with Kayleth; she has become less than what he remembers. Max takes a walk out into the open landscape and thinks hard on what he should not do.

He thought, _"Ugh, I can't believe how dangerous Kayleth has become. Her thoughts and emotions are highly volatile from anything she does. I hope this doesn't become a problem anymore. Maybe I should stay away from her and them for now."_

The more he thinks, the less happy Max is. Before he can walk any further, a large explosion occurs just over his head. He looks up to the sky and sees something large flying towards the south east. Just before it is out of his sight, a second explosion occurs. Max rushes to a nearby jet bike. He hops on and takes off in the direction of the flying ship. He gets on the com link and radio others about what has happen.

Lucas says, "We are mobilizing now. Take the forward companies with you and scout ahead."

Max acknowledges the order and arrives shortly at the forward companies. Only a small band of imperial guardians are among the raw recruits of the imperial guardsmen. They begin their march towards the destination. Along the way, they discover debris on the ground; many of the pieces are colored yellow with gold. As the army keeps advancing, they see strange pieces of metal that belong to none of their own kit. After a long drive, they come across a large tank. They fully look over it and see no wheels; its cannon is shooting out electric sparks. It didn't take the eldar long to join the allies near the destroyed tank; they look upon it with great wonder.

An imperial soldier says, "It looks like a hover tank, but we don't make these."

An eldar ranger adds, "It is almost similar to our own gravity tanks, but this appears to be highly advance."

Max looks further to the south east; he sees smoke rising high into the sky. As he gives orders for the army to move out, a warp portal opens in front of him. Kayleth steps from it only to move away from Max.

She says, "I see you are out here as well."

He answers, "Yes, I was the closest. I'm glad to see you are here."

Kayleth tries to smile; however, she recalls the recent events that haunt her mind. As the eldar and imperial army move further to the crash site, they come across various pieces of tech that surpass human expectations. The eldar look at each piece as though crafted by hands similar to their own. After a long journey, the humans and eldar come to the perfect site. The ship appears advanced as the tech they see. Max orders his troops to set up camp just out of range. Kayleth orders her kin to follow in the same manner. They would wait until reinforcements come; Max takes the moment to see Kayleth doing her best to stay from him. Instead of trying to speak with her, he honors the moment of silence. It didn't take long before their allies join them. Max and Lucas take their advance parties to the front; Shelia and Veldoran join them leaving the others to watch the camp. Before the alliance can advance any further, they stop just out of range from what appears to be a xeno the imperium is familiar with. It didn't take long for humanity to come face to face with a foe that keeps trying to offer them the same choices as before. One of the humanoid beings steps forward; it is accompanied by small drones floating next to the sides. One drone creates a shield around him; the other drone aims it weapons at the target. Lucas grinds his teeth with rage; Max looks to him to see his anger. The tall being stops outside of the firing range; it was carrying two large cannons. Suddenly, a broadcast to the imperial com channel is heard:

" _I come before you to offer peace and cooperation. We are of the Tau Empire. Our ship has been disabled and must undergo repairs; we are not here to harm you. We seek to speak with your leaders."_

Max and Lucas agree to hold back their soldiers to hear the enemy commander out. As those both advance to the center field to meet with the unknown commander, Veldoran and Shelia join them. Once the four meet with the being, they continue to hear his words.

He continues, "I didn't expect to find the eldar and humans working together. Truly, this must be a sign of hope for us."

Max sharply says, "What do you want?

Lucas harshly adds, "Why are you here?"

He answers, "My faction was attacked by an unknown enemy we do not know; I was assigned to this task by the Ethereals of Tau to seek a new place of expansion for our kind. We journeyed out here to find any planet with fair living conditions for us. Instead, our ship was fired upon. We continued to come this way after we cross over the sea of stars. To our surprise, the beacons picked up activity on this planet. We thought this is where the enemy went to. Now we have found you."

Veldoran questions him, "Who was the enemy?"

Shelia keeps her hand on her weapon, "Who are you?"

He says, "My name is Shas'O Kais of the Tau Empire. Our enemy is some form of imperial space marines…"

A new voice adds, "…They call themselves Sons of Malice. They have taken civilians from us; we seek your help to find them and stop them. The enemy left us a message just before they escaped from us."

Kais quickly turns around to his new Ethereal, "Aun El Rai. Do not endanger yourself by being here; I cannot stress that enough to you. By being here, you risk the dangers of being killed if this fails."

It didn't take Lucas long to bring up his scouts and small companies under his command from the rear. The eldar do the same as the fire caste army advances closely behind their commander and ethereal. As the alliances of eldar and humans look into the faces of the Tau, a surprise comes to Lucas that further increases his rage. He sees them yet refuses to accept what his eyes view. Not only did the Tau bring an army, they bring their _Gue'vesa_ to the front with them.

Lucas cries fiercely, "Damn you to the warp! You dare point your guns at the empire you once served?!"

Max calms Lucas's fury; Aun El Rai calmly steps forward. Max turns to him. The armies are ready to fire.

Aun El Rai wants to back away in fear; however, he stands his ground.

He says, "You are one of the soulless. I can sense something wrong with you, but I know you won't harm me."

Kais keeps his guns ready and Max says, "You did come to us peacefully. I won't attack you nor will your army be harmed. You said the Sons of Malice attacked you. Therefore, we both shall a common enemy. Come back with us towards the fortress. So long as you keep the peace, we will discuss what you know about the enemy."

Aun El Rai agrees and orders Shas'O Kais to bring their main ship to the fortress as soon as he can. The humans keep their distance from the Tau; the eldar feel the need to guide them. As Max and Lucas chat in their own transportation, the conversation is more intense than before.

Lucas roars, "Why must you invite them into the fortress? Tell me I didn't just become your 2nd in command?"

Max replies, "You are still the Lord General of this regiment; however, they did say the Sons of Malice attacked them and took some of their civilians. We can use the additional help. But tell me, Lord General Lucas Turner. Why do you hate the Tau with such a passion?"

Lucas sighs and answers, "Before I serve under Vance _the Bright_ , I was station in the eastern portion of the galaxy. At the time, I had barely moved up the rank and became corporal. My first assignment was to investigate and report the activities of the Tau. The first part of our investigation was easy; I lead the unit with my sergeant through a deep narrow pass. By noon, we had cleared it. Only when we walked into an ambush did we realize how foolish we were; the Tau soldiers easily crippled us from firing our guns. After we were render useless, they took us to their camp. I slowly saw them nurse many of us back to full health and offer us a chance to join them. I swore by the Emperor's blessing that I would not give into their temptation; it didn't take my platoon long to give in. Even watching my sergeant accept the xeno hospitality was unbearable. I was alone; I was the single servant to the Emperor before I was rescued."

Max assures him that it won't happen, but Lucas didn't allow his weakness to slip. He was fully aware of what the Tau would offer his army should they mingle too closely to them. Once at the fortress, many soldier and civilians watched as the Tau army and the few unarmed civilians march into the fortress. Shas'O Kais watched carefully for anything to slip up or go wrong. As Lina and Carl watch from a distance, they both ponder over what was said for this to come to pass. Carl goes to the crowds and keeps morale high and everyone away from the new xeno arrivals. He receives the order from Lucas that the Tau would occupy the south west quarter and station their military camps outside of the fortress; Carl keeps his troops busy and orders all imperial guardsmen to stay away from the xeno.

Carl thought, _"By the Golden throne of the Emperor, this is too close for comfort. I pray only Max and Lucas know what they are doing. We got fortunate to be able to use the Rogue Trader laws with the eldar, but not for dealings with the Tau."_

Once the Tau military and civilians were occupied to the south west zone, Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais call to Max and Lucas. It didn't take long before Lina, Carl, Shelia, Veldoran, and Elenwe to join them. Even Kayleth joins the gathering to see the newcomers; however, Kayleth stays her voice and keeps her distant. After the leaders of each faction join, it becomes a surprise to both sides. Max, Lucas, and Lina stand together on fragile nerves and uncertain thoughts. Veldoran, Shelia, and Elenwe look closely and wait to hear the words of the Tau leaders; Shas'O Kais and Aun El Rai stand firm and excited by the new faces that gather join them.

Lucas clears his throat, "So, you encountered the Sons of Malice?"

Kais replies, "Yes, we mentioned this early."

He quickly looks to the Tau commander, "I was talking to the grey-blue ethereal, not you metal head."

Before it erupts into a problem, Lina adds, "You will have to forgive him. He had a horrible dealing with the Tau a long time ago."

El Rai calmly accepts and understands the issue. Veldoran opens the discussion, "Tell us what you know of the encounter you had."

Aun El Rai answers, "The encounter was swift and unexpected. We didn't think they would attack us directly. One of our ships was crippled and many were taken alive. We seek to reclaim them in hopes of continuing our original plan."

Max asks, "So, what is your original plan?"

As the group continue to discuss what they know, many more events are on the horizon for them. The Eldar are ready and steadfast; the Tau are able and flexible. Only the imperial army would decide if the new comers are worth having or dangerous.

 **Chapter 7: Section 7 – 5**

The Tau Empire has come far in their wars to carve out a name for the Greater Good concept. Like many great leaders, each one is more than willing to offer the enemy the chance to surrender and accept the new way of living. War must be only a last resort for the Tau when all else fails. As the two ruling leaders of the Tau talk among eldar and human leaders, Carl finds himself stuck outside the camp watching and waiting; he looks to his side and finds a Tau fire caste soldier standing at ease. Carl may have been skeptic about the Tau, but he finds himself somehow drawn to this one soldier. Carl removes his helmet and takes a drink of his water. The fire caste soldier looks in his direction; he offers the xeno a drink yet secretly prays a bottle of water will kill it. The Tau refuses the offer and pulls out a small bottle. The soldier hooks the bottle up to the fire suit. Carl watches as the small thin light blue liquid travels up and into the mouth piece. Instead of waiting and wondering, Carl walks over to the Tau soldier. It quickly turns to him with hands ready to aim the pulse rifle.

Carl quickly says, "It is alright. I will place my gun away since my leaders asks me to keep the peace. I am of the imperial guardians. You are…?"

The Tau fire warrior places the pulse rifle away and removes the helmet. Carl nearly allows his impulse to drive his thoughts wild; he didn't expect the fire warrior to be so refine and beautiful.

She says, "I am of the Tau; my name is Suu-Riah-Lu."

Carl extends his hand to offer a hand shake. Instead, the Tau warrior moves towards him and looks deeply into his eyes. The moment feels intense for him; however, the tau warrior calmly warms up to him.

She says, "If you are not taken by a person of your kind, I would be honored if you submit yourself to me."

Carl raises an eye brow and asks, "What do you mean?"

Before an answer comes out, a blade appears between the two. Shelia pulls Carl away from her and Suu steps away with her weapon drawn.

She turns to him and says, "I hope you are not giving yourself over to the tau woman. Their _'idea'_ of a male submitting to them can be more than just extreme."

Carl looks back to see the fire warrior pull away; Suu places her helmet back on and jogs off to her platoon. He nearly laughs at Shelia and turns to her.

He says, "So, I take it our leaders have come to an agreement? And to answer your statement, no. I am an imperial soldier before a female xeno can ever charm me."

Shelia answers, "Yes, they have, but we are considering our options. You would do well to not get involved with her again."

As the meeting comes to an end, all sides of each faction retreat. The Tau army stays in the south west zone; they hear the words of their great leaders.

Aun El Rai broadcasts: _"Soldiers of the Tau Empire. We have found a peaceful way to ensure our survival. Let this message pass to you all and be ready to continue the journey with us into the void of space. We face the mad, the soulless, and the damned. None shall stop us; we will find victory and rescue those that were taken from us."_

At the eldar ship, the three take council and discuss what they now face. Elenwe, Shelia and Veldoran speak privately among themselves. They even bring Kayleth into their meeting.

Shelia says, "The Tau have a mission of their own, but are they secretly here to achieve it or did they encounter the Sons of Malice?"

Elenwe adds, "Their story may hold truth in it; however, we cannot allow them to follow us where we go. We still have our own objective to achieve, but they may prove more useful than the humans. I see their potential more useful for us should we fight against the followers of Malice."

Veldoran interrupts, "Be that as it may, there is no way you can hide our true intentions from them forever. Why have we not told the humans of our true goal for journeying beyond the halo zone? Surely, you must know that we won't abandon our craftworld so easily if not for a greater cause?"

Kayleth sighs and finally speaks, "What we do now will be for our benefit. The Tau may come with us to continue their own plan, but we know our mission. I won't say what we must do; however, Shelia must make the right call for us."

As much as the eldar are preparing for their own trails, the imperial leaders stand on uneven accords. Max tries to understand why Lucas is so infuriated with the Tau; Lina does her best to support her lover's reasons. Carl finds himself lost in thought over the female tau fire warrior. With so much unexpected events, the imperial army now stands with either more problems or allies.

Lucas growls, "What you are suggesting is not the right course of action for us to take Max. Tell me that this is a joke? Tell me you are joking about using the Tau army to help us fight the Sons of Malice? I would like to hear your reasons on why we are leaning on them for help."

Max answers, "This whole situation with the Tau, the eldar, and the Sons of Malice are easy to read. First, the Tau were attacked by them; they forced them here to crash land on Saneesh. Now, the Tau have revealed to us that they wish to sit up a new expansion out here on this side of the galaxy. I recall the old reports of them staying in the east portion of the galaxy. So, why are they truly out here? The eldar are almost easy to read, but they still have yet to tell us why they wish to assist us in our journey; we could have spent ages trying to find the Sons of Malice fortress. The eldar shorten that search to only a few days. They are after something more than a new fight. As for our current enemy, we will do what we can to stop whatever plans they have for us; we should accept all the help we can get and go from there. I rather face the Sons of Malice with more help than no support what so ever."

Lina agrees, "There is a benefit to this for all of us, my love. I understand your frustration towards them, but we will need any help we can receive if it means accepting their assistance."

Lucas refuses to accept the Tau for help. He says, "If you want them coming with us, fine. But I promise you this. If it comes down to you, the mission, or stopping them from converting any of the soldiers, I won't hesitate to let you die. I can't watch this imperial army be on their side."

Max nods his head in agreement and takes his leave. Lucas sighs heavily; he turns to Lina to see a worried look in his eyes.

She says, "I have only seen you upset when in battle, but not like this. What really happen that day you and your unit were captured by the Tau?"

Lucas feels his heart full of sorrow and says, "That was the day I became the new sergeant of Commander Vance. It happened after only a week of xeno treatment from the Tau; it didn't kill me nor break me. I saw it change my fellow comrades and former sergeant. I was left alone as I watched each of them slowly accept the offerings from the Tau. I remember how each one of them left me alone to myself and it was only later that I hated the Tau so strongly as I do the orks."

He continues, "Each person that left me that fateful day has never left my thoughts. Michael left us when they offer amnesty; he jumped at the chance to be unshackled. Kelly was given water and happily agreed to fight for them; she was probably the last person you expect to give up. Paul ate the food they had given us; he ate three times from them before joining their cause. Sarah was persuaded to fight for a righteous cause in the name of all good; it is hard for her to run from corruption. Andy, Tom, and Barry left once they were allowed to study their advanced weapons; they were the technology group that forbid many practices of such knowledge. Carol, Amy, and Natasha were praised for their beauty; I figured that would be the last thing any woman of the imperial army would go for. They all betrayed the Emperor one by one; it didn't take much for them to give in and be comfortable with their new found allies. The only two left was me and my sergeant. I figured he would show me and the imperium why we remain true to the Emperor. In the end, he did the worse thing possible. We were only half through the solar week before I saw my sergeant do the worse thing possible. During a dark night, we both awoke to the sound of the door opening. A regular soldier walked in and took us to the outside. We both were cut free of the rope; they left us. I followed the words of my superior to the letter on how we would escape. We managed to get far until he suggested we split up. After an hour went by, I was caught by patrols. One of the same fire warriors came to me with no helmet; she was trying to use her offers, her charms, and her looks to win me over. I refused to give in each time she tried. As they wait, my sergeant walked up. I should've see something was wrong since he wasn't tied up by his hands; I watched him walk over and happily locked lips with the xeno woman. The last words he told me before I was knocked out _'Some species can offer you more than what you know'_. I woke up hours later to hear the same people laugh, talk, and enjoy the company of their xeno allies. In that moment of weakness, I was ready to obliterate them from this life and the next. My chance came to me when the camp was attacked by imperial forces. This is how Vance and I met; he didn't understand my rage at the time. All he remembered was me taking a pistol and lasrifle with me. I hunted down each of my unit and personally killed each one with my hands. The only person left was my sergeant; he and his lover escaped. To this day, I always hated the Tau as much as I do the orks. The eldar would have been treated the same, but Max was more foolish in his attempts to charm Kayleth. I relaxed since they seemed only fixated on him in the beginning."

Lina holds her lover and says, "That was a long time ago. Things were difficult for you at the time. Now, you have me here with you. The Tau may have ideas for us, but I will stand with you against the enemy till the end. Be it the orks, the necrons, tyranids, and even the tau, you are my everything. As if the eldar stand against us, they better pray we are willing to forgive."

Lucas holds her tightly and prays that all will be well. Carl finds himself accepting the last orders of the supply check. He retires to his home and finds an unexpected surprise there. His door is open slightly; he walks in with his gun drawn. Once inside, the door closes. He turns and finds the same Tau woman before him. Though mostly in her gear, Suu smiles to see him ready.

He confusingly says, "What are you doing here?"

She replies, "I overstep my limit. I didn't know you and the eldar warrior are joined."

Carl raises an eye brow and laughs as he places his weapon away, "If you believe Shelia and I are joined together, then you have been misinformed. She is a close friend of mine when she is not busy with her own kind. We train together and fought together more times than you know of. I know her well enough to trust her, but you I just met…"

He finds the Tau warrior close to him; she touches his face with some happiness.

Suu says, "Then, you are free to be with whom you wish? I have long desired a mate."

He burst out laughing hysterically, "You just met me. I can't be the one for you. Even if I was attracted to you for horrible reasons, it will take time to get to know you and we would have to spend time together."

She presses up against him hard. Carl nearly allows every nerve in his mind to go wild.

Suu takes his hands and says, "I will do what I can to show you that you are the one I need in my life. I leave this with you and must return to my home. May I acquire your name?"

He answers, "I am Carl of the imperial guardians. Before you leave, how did you know where I live at?"

She shakes his hand and reveals a small device that was planted on his suit. Suu apologies as much as she can for not telling him sooner. Carl finds it intriguing, but forewarns her about implanting any device on his war gear. She finally takes her leave of him; Carl takes a moment to eye her appearance hard. Though a xeno to him, Carl thought she is a little too forward with her advances. As night time comes, the Tau work throughout the night to restore their ship. Aun El Rai maintains the morale as he speaks of their time coming. Shas'O Kais keeps his troops in order and has them patrol daily around the crash site. As the imperial army enjoys most of the night, several groups of imperial guardians watch for any signs of trouble from the Tau. Each group reports the same activity to Lucas. With nothing else unusual to report, Lucas turns in for the night and keeps his word to Lina and Max that all will be settled when the time comes. The eldar meditate on the daily affairs of their training and thoughts; many feel drawn to watch over and guide the Tau forces; however, they sense a much greater plan. Veldoran and his warlocks let the warp flow through them easily. Shelia and the banshee squads stand silently. Elenwe keeps her thoughts focused. Lastly, Kayleth mediates on what will happen to her now.

In the confides of his quarters, Max finds himself at odds with not only his friend but what they must face. He feels tremendously unsure as to how it will go for his friends and allies. With nothing else to keep his awake, he rests his weary thoughts. Time fades and many more things will come to light by tomorrow morning. Like before, the sun shines over the horizon. The light from the sun brightens up the tower; the tech-priests begin to ring the bells. Each noise sings to all that the time has come. As everyone becomes mobile and active, a new surprises comes to all who look into the sky. Just beside the War Harbinger, a Tau vessel floats next to it. Many see it as a wonderful sight; others see it as a challenge or threat. Max rushes to the center as fast as he can to calm the situation before it gets out of hand. He finds Lucas ready to strike down the Ethereal. Shas'O Kais stands ready to defend him.

Aun El Rai says, "We apologies for the deception. Since the attack, we didn't feel safe to reveal our true numbers until we trust you."

Max looks to Lucas and he replies, "You are right to do what is required of you; however, in order for me to trust you, everything must be on the table. Never tell me a lie again or you all can die for your Greater Good."

Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais thank him for his firm warning. Max and Lina pull him and the imperial forces away. With nothing else left to do, everyone prepares to hear the news. The tech-priests, engineers, the tech teams, and repair men all present Lina with news on their project for the beacon. Everything they have fought for has now come to this. Will the journey outside of the halo zone be a safe trip? What will the imperial army face? Are the eldar and Tau going with them? None can say what the future holds. Max, Carl, and Lucas gather the captains together to hear the news from Lina's project. The next mission will begin soon and new challenges await.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**_

" _There is a final journey that lies at the end of the known galaxy; the last, undiscovered worlds lay beyond the reach of mankind. Many have taken this path only to return with tales of horror. Deep within the empty void of space, there are some things that are not meant to be discovered by man, eldar, or anyone. To journey beyond the reaches of the halo zone is to find horror. To return back to the galaxy is a miracle itself."_

 _For the night is dark and full of terrors._

 _(_ _ **Keep in mind: Yes, I have seen the typing I recently did for many chapters and must re-word a lot of the sentences due to work and free time. So, endure what you read and apologies in advance. Big Boss Pugh)**_

 **Chapter 8: Section 8 – 1**

The sight of the Tau ship is an amazing feature; its advance system and weapons rivals the designs the _Blessed Techno Woman_ added to the War Harbinger. As many look from the ground up to witness the ship, none didn't believe the Tau had such a powerful vessel hidden from the scanners across the imperial fortress. The sight of the vessel dubbed _Great Spear_ shocked every imperial soldier and civilian in the land. Even the eldar noted the marvel before their eyes. The only person not accepting the sudden appearance of a ship next to the fortress is Lord General Lucas Turner; he stands his ground with many guns pointing at the Tau Ethereal Aun El Rai. Many fire caste warriors stand around and in front of their leader with Tau Commander Shas'O Kais ready to protect him. Before any orders are given, Max stands in the center of both the groups and demands that each side lay down their weapons. The situation appears fragile at the moment.

Lucas roars, "When were you going to info us that you hid among a massive ship beside our fortress?"

Before Aun El Rai answers, Shas'O Kais aims his cannon at Lucas, "You must understand the mistrust. Had we told you of our hidden ship, would you have still invited us to speak with you?"

Lucas grips his gun hard with rage burning in his eyes; Lina does what she can to calm him, but her words barely get through his ears. As the eldar gather around the edges, many look on and wonder what will happen now. Shelia joins Veldoran and Elenwe at the monitor from within the Faded Light. They look at the problem and wait to see what will happen.

Veldoran says, "The Tau are as hidden as we can be. They can easily destroy the humans and not lose a single person."

Elenwe adds, "The Tau may be at an advantage, but they didn't count on a Blank."

Shelia looks on with wonder and questions, "If he is the reason they hold back, why not strike at the others and cripple them?"

From behind their backs, Kayleth walks up and replies, "The Tau dare not strike if they can acquire an ally to help them. Max probably sees the potential of having them as allies than as an enemy; Lucas is blind by his own past for whatever the reason is. We can do nothing but watch how this will go."

Despite not being the Autarch to her kin, the words of Kayleth sing with wisdom. Below in the center of the confusion, Max continues to ensure that peace must be the currency.

He says, "I may understand your caution for not trusting us, but this will not do. Please, do not give us any more thoughts of not trying to accept your methods."

Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais apologies for the surprise; the imperial soldiers continue to load up on supplies and material for the trip. The words of more xeno contact continue to make a few imperial guard companies feel that damnation is soon to be their label. Carl continues to hurry the troops along; Lucas and Lina head to the War Harbinger to oversee the rest of the preparations. Rai and Kais urge their soldiers to finish making last minute adjustments to the Great Spear. It nearly takes them a whole day to finish up everything. By night fall, everyone enjoys a restful retreat. Tomorrow morning would be the day they go beyond the halo zone; they would face dangers like no other. Lina finishes up the reports for her beacon on Saneesh. Based on her calculations and design, the beacon would be strong enough to give them a guide back to the galaxy from the Emperor's light. As she sends off her last few reports, she is taken by surprise from Lucas. The warm embrace of his arms causes her to smiles. He locks lips with her and pulls her away from the computer.

Lina says, "What is this display of affection for? Did something happen to you?"

Lucas sighs and smiles, "No, there is nothing going on. I just want us to remember this night as the best moment of our time before we do the unthinkable. We don't know what is beyond the veil of this galaxy. For all we know, there may be no way for us to return. The unknown worlds await us. So, if I die tomorrow, I want you to know how much I love you Blessed Techno Woman Lina."

Before she can even remove her attachments, she feels her clothes loosen up on her body quickly. A hand touches a weak spot; she moans passionately and gives into what her lover offers. They are one in the night and make sure none would disturb them. At the eldar ship, the warriors of Alaitoc swing their blades and enhance their warp power. Elenwe stands in the center of the ship and allows her warp power to strengthen the rest of her kin. Shelia mediates with Veldoran as he shows her new ways to harness her power. All the eldar stand ready and eager, but the only question left to them is: _Will they follow their allies into the void of space?_ At the Great Spear, the ethereal Aun El Rai rests his mind and body. His guards watch for any signs of trouble; the Tau stand ready for the next journey they must take. At the base of the Tau ship groundside, Shas'O Kais looks down at the small memento given to him years ago. He still can't believe the failure that was brought to him. As much as he accepts the temporary truce with the imperial army, he vows that failure will never again occur.

He thought, _"For you to lay in the grave of the ethereal ancestors, I vow that this will never happen again. I failed you in life, but I won't fail Aun El Rai of the ethereal."_

As many of the people call it a night, Max finds himself alone and happy. He sits at the top of his home with many memories to accompany him. Every single step has brought him here to the edge of this known galaxy. He gets to his feet and pulls out a combat knife; he turns quickly and throws the knife. It is grabbed in midair by warp energy. Out from the cloak of shadows, Kayleth steps forward. She flicks the knife back at Max only for him blank powers to stop it. The knife falls at his feet; he looks to her and smiles. Kayleth turns away from him and shows her sadness.

Max says, "You are to keep me company tonight? Why are you here? And, I apologize for what I tried to send you through."

Kayleth replies, "I see your reflexes are greatly improving with what you are. Normally, a man would have died from anything I sent back at him; however, you are not like any other. Ever since…"

Before she can speak further, Max comes to her. Kayleth whips around and feels her heart spikes slightly. Every emotion turns to some rage and she looks into his eyes with wonder.

He says, "Are you here to keep me company?"

She lets the idea overcome her. She nearly panics, but Max keeps advancing.

Kayleth tries to reply, "I…I am…I can't. Do not try…"

Max moves in closer; she feels her heart pound through her chest. He stops and gently holds her hand. Kayleth wants to express how she feels, but the words do not come from her mouth. Max smiles and pulls away from her. She breathes easy.

Max says, "Tell me everything about your life as the Autarch."

Kayleth smiles a little and looks to the sky, "My life as the Autarch of the craft world was a really dangerous one. When I went through the trials of fighting, each test was to see how strong I was. Every attempt was meant to increase my awareness, my senses, my skills, and the connection I have to the warp. My first trial was to test my patience. I remember the long hours of enduring each annoying and frustration I face…"

She looks over to find Max beside her. She nearly jumps back; he invites her to sit down and she continues to share the ways of the eldar. From the moments of patience to the combat of all her fights, Kayleth relives her battles as though she is still in the foray of each conflict. The moment she fell upon the ork hordes without mercy reminds her to be dangerous; the act of silently killing an imperial officer makes her recall thoughts of silence. She remembers slaughtering her way to the imperial commander of an army of ten thousand troops with only a handful of one hundred eldar banshees at her side. Even though killing imperial guard officers and commanders were easy prey, her greatest combat was battling a space marine as their armies fought around them. There were many moments she remembers coming close to feeling the claws scratch at her soul.

Max replies, "Yeesh. And here I thought my life was hard living on this planet."

They both laugh only for Max to grip her hand. The moment is sudden; Kayleth responds differently. She isn't mad nor annoyed; Max looks to her expecting a punch. She just holds his hand with ease. Her pulse is slow and soft. She looks at Max and finally gives him a smile. He smiles back as they look into the skies. They continue to enjoy the night together. For Max, it is a night he would cherish. For Kayleth, it is an experience to understand. After enough chatter was done, Max retreats to his bed and Kayleth leaps through the warp portal to rejoin her kin. The next day would begin with everyone ready to make the dangerous journey.

As the sun barely begins to rise over the horizon, many begin to climb aboard their shuttles to fly aboard the War Harbinger. Tau civilians and military personal are recalled to their ship; Lucas and Max are aboard the top deck monitoring every activity going on. Lina makes her last adjustments to the beacon that would guide them back to Saneesh should the worse happen. Just as Lucas is about to address his troops, a contact from the Tau ship signals them. Max puts it up on the monitor to see the ethereal appear.

Aun El Rai says, "We appreciate your assistance in this matter. I hope for your success."

Lucas replies, "Save the _'thank you'_ speeches for when we make it back. If all goes well, we won't have to fight you, Rai. Just get what you need and disappear from our territory."

Lucas ends the transmission quickly and returns to his duty. Max worries over his friend since the Tau showed up; Lina expresses her excitement for her final setup to the beacon. Without any more delay, she activities it. The beacon on Saneesh begins to shine; it sends a strong beam of light to the ship. Lucas orders his men to be ready to set up the probes they would leave behind for each amount of space from Saneesh. On the eldar ship, Elenwe alerts her kin to be ready for their trip. This would be their moment. A transmission from the War Harbinger comes to the eldar. Shelia takes the helm of the ship and broadcasts who is calling them.

Max says, "The beacon is strong, but we don't know how long strong it will be once we step into the void of space. You sure you want to come with us? The Tau are eager to follow us."

Shelia answers, "Our fate is tied with your journey. If we must endure the pain of the dark void journey, so be it. We are ready to stop this great enemy."

The War Harbinger, the Faded Light, and the Great Spear rise to the sky. Only two million imperial citizens are left on the surface of Saneesh. The groups left in charge hope for a speedy return. The three ships rise up above the atmosphere of Saneesh; many send out their last farewell to those that know them best. The imperial guard & imperial guardians stand ready; every ogryn, skitarri, tech-priest, engineer, and shock trooper are focused. None can say what their trip would be like as they journey pass the point of no return. The Tau fire caste and its legion is ready. Though unsure about their chance, the Tau ethereal stands proud and humble to be taking this dark journey with its commander. Shas'O Kais alerts the troops to be ready as they look out into the ocean of stars. The Eldar enter into a state of stasis; the howling banshees, dire avengers, scouts, warp spiders, and fire dragoons stand alert and enhance their warp signatures. Despite her earlier mistakes, Kayleth and the new Autarch look to the stars with hope in their heart. Veldoran and Elenwe monitor the last few adjustments to the ship as best they know how. The unusual alliance of tau, eldar, and human makes everyone feel out of place; they each have their own objectives, but how far will they go to achieve it? As the ships activate their FTL drives, it takes them only three weeks before coming to the last known location of planet _Ragnar_. Max and Lucas look to Lina as she alerts her tech teams to send out the first probe for guidance; the beacon on Saneesh connects with the first probe greatly. Everyone looks out into the void of space. They all come to the same thoughtful conclusion: _What will we find beyond the stars of this galaxy?_

 **Chapter 8: Section 8 – 2**

The edge of the galaxy terrifies all; there is no path or charts to guide any to safety. To those who journey out pass the Emperor's light, they go into the cold space of no return. The few that attempt the journey have never returned; many speak of planets that are haunted. The only brave and rare few to live out in the dark void of space are those who are meant to survive it. Lucas looks on at the monitor; he studies the screen that keep showing him no new data on what lies ahead. Lina makes her final adjustments to the next probe to connect the guiding light for the beacons; she believes she has surpassed her limits again. Max looks at the last known coordinates of where _Ragnar_ once was; it still hard to believe those moments were only a few years ago. Every nerve twists with anticipation; each thought hungers for what the eyes will see. The men and women of the imperial army stand ready to advance. The War Harbinger slowly begins to move forward. Aboard the Faded Light, every single eldar look to see the imperial ship slowly go ahead. As strong and sensitive the eldar warp signature is, they follow the humans closely and stand ready to battle. The Great Spear vessel of the Tau Empire follows in the same manner. All three ships slowly move pass where once a planet was and begin to go further out.

The monitors are looked carefully at. Lina reports that everything is still go; Lucas slowly breathes hard grips his console. With a single word, Max orders the navigators to activate the FTL drive to full capacity. The ship slightly shakes; the eldar follow in the same manner. The Tau look closely on and give their own FTL activation a chance. The three ships jump from the last point of Ragnar and fly through the void of space. Every system is holding; Lucas alerts the other ships that he will stop upon his mark. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. MARK! The ships come to a stop. All navigators and operators check the systems out. Everything is still normal. No sign of warp entry onto the decks; there is nothing. The War Harbinger opens it screens to allow everyone to look outside. Lina urges all forms of scans to be done so. The lights aboard the ship shine in the empty space. There is no end; it is truly darkness. Max tries to contact the eldar ship, but no reply comes. The Tau maintain radio contact and bring their ship as close as they can to the War Harbinger. Max signals an alert to the elder and no answer comes again. Something has gone wrong. Every person uses the systems of the War Harbinger for all communication; they use any form of signals, lights, and broadcasts to locate the eldar. Even the Tau forces assist them in their efforts while maintaining radio contact.

Max continues to use the radio com, "This is the War Harbinger. Are you still there Faded Light?"

There is nothing but static. Instead of calling to the ship, Max allows his own power to expand outward. As the ship begins to become cold, Lucas and Lina look over with some worry.

Lucas says, "What are doing using your powers? We are in no threat."

Max answers, "No, we are not in any way under attack, but I am certain the eldar are. Lina, use the communication console and try to reach the eldar again. I'll let you know when."

Lina stands by as the whole War Harbinger begins to have everyone feeling colder than usual. Within minutes, every single person becomes aware of how strong Max has become as a blank. Even the Tau forces begin to wonder what horrible fate did they attract; the powers of Max cause the ethereal to call for his commander and fire warriors. Lucas alerts and updates everyone person to maintain their post. Max calls to Lina; she begins to call out to the eldar. The only word they all hear at deck one from the eldar is: **RUN.**

A warp portal opens up aboard the War Harbinger. Suddenly, many more warp portals open up. The imperial forces stand strong; they wait for any warp creature to come from there. Instead of facing a horde of daemons or monster, the eldar come falling through the portals. Many are bloody; some are hurt beyond words. As the humans secure and help their allies, a surprise occurs aboard the lower deck. Wraithseer Elenwe comes from the warp portal and battles a daemon of incredible warp power. As strong as she is, her strength begins to fail her. The guardsmen and other imperial forces unleash a barrage on the daemon. The creature is driven back. Max and Lucas receive the call about the large warp portal still open on the lower deck. They quickly rush to the lower half as fast as they can. Lina alerts her tech teams to activate the FTL drive; she sends the same respond to the Tau. Both ships experience a system error; Max and Lucas arrive at the lower deck and view the warp portal. A large daemon tries to claw its way out. The armies of the eldar and human forces push the daemon back. A smaller warp portal opens; Kayleth emerges from the warp with Shelia and Veldoran at her side. Max is happy to see her only for a powerful daemon of the warp to break through.

Shelia leaps at the monster only to be thrown back from a powerful warp blast. The effects greatly hurt her and cause blood to pour out. Veldoran attends to Elenwe and heals her with assistance from the bone singers. Kayleth allows her avatar of Khaine powers to manifest on the ship. The daemon roars and attacks. He strikes at Kayleth and forces her down to a knee. Just as the beast is about to finish her, Max allows his blank powers to expand. The cold, void sensation causes all eldar to scream in pain. The daemon roars in agony as Max approaches it. Kayleth feels weaken by the cold feeling from Max. As the beast of the warp falls down on weak knees, Max finishes the beast off with a strike to its head. Unable to bear the pain of being near a blank, the warp monster leaps back through the portal. The danger is over and the eldar now must be helped.

Max comes to Kayleth; he sees tears slowly coming from her eyes.

He says, "What happen to the Faded Light?"

Kayleth replies, "They are here. We must go quickly."

Max and Lucas look to see all eldar paralyzed with fear and horror. Before they can issue a command, something hits the side of the War Harbinger. Everyone looks to the opening of the ship. Lucas radios Lina to raise the blast shield up; she does so for them to look out into the open space with the gravity force field keeping them safe. At first, there is nothing. A new impact occurs against the War Harbinger. Max looks back to see the eldar back up against each other. Like frighten children, the eldar didn't know which way to go. Max growls at the black, empty space in front of his eyes. He walks to the opening; Lucas calls to him. Instead of showing fear, Max roars loudly only to see a gigantic eye open next to the ship. Lucas and everyone aboard nearly scream as they see more than just an eye. Some see teeth. A few see claws. The eldar see something too horrifying to describe. Lucas alerts Lina and begs for an update. The FTL drive turns on and the ships make another leap through the void before coming to a stop. As the eldar recover from their hurt, Lucas and Max receive a call from Lina.

She radios them, "We only have one more chance to jump anywhere but here. I think we can make it but this is our last probe. We launched the others as we went. Something is out here in this dark void of space. It is hurting the eldar and attacking our minds. My systems are too fragile…"

Lucas hears the desperate cry over the com channel. He rushes back to the top deck; Max feels his arm pulled on by Kayleth. She tearfully cries for the pain to stop.

Kayleth says, "Do whatever you can to get us away from it. We won't survive if it gets aboard the ship."

Elenwe stands up and says, "I will use my power to save us all."

Elenwe takes the center floor of the lower deck. Her warp powers begin to enhance the ship. Lucas radios Max about what is going on until a large impact is felt on the ship. The Tau ship arrives reports the same condition and static occurring too much aboard their ship. Max orders Lina to be ready; the imperial forces do what they can to help the eldar. Max calls to Elenwe.

He says, "I hope you are not risking your life for us all."

Elenwe proudly roars, "For the craftworld of Alaitoc, I will guide you all!"

Elenwe lets her warp power stretch across the ship. The Tau beg for the next jump coordinates. Lina transmits them the last and final jump coordinates. As the eldar begin to scream in pain, a large force slams into the War Harbinger again. Max looks on to see the Elenwe fall once again to her knees. Unable to contain his rage at what he can barely see, Max uses his blank powers to stretch out again. The War Harbinger and Great Spear feel the cold sensation once more; it is stronger than the last time. Kayleth looks to Max as he looks to her. He whispers words to her that speak of safety. As Max lets his rage push the warp back, the unknown force moves away in fear. Max orders Lina and Lucas to do what they can to make the last jump count. As they try to use it, the FTL begins to fall dead. The Tau transmit a message to the imperial ship.

Aun El Rai says, "Imperial Leaders, we must require your help. Please, give us an update on what you will do. Our FTL is nearly out of power."

Lucas replies, "We got problems to deal with ourselves. You are on your own."

As he tries to cut the broadcast, Lina interrupts his action to speak with the Aun El Rai.

She says, "Move your ship as close as you can to us. I have a way to help you."

The message went through, but Lucas questions Lina's reason for wanting to help the Tau forces.

Lina answers, "I made some modifications to the ship should something like this happen. Our FTL will go out and the Tau won't make it either. So, I have no choice but to attach the ships together and activate the warp drive and the FTL drive at the same time. If we are fortunate, we can all make this last jump together."

Lucas sharply adds, "Why should we risk our life to save them? They are the fools that came along with us. If we are to die, we die by our own terms. If they die, let them die like the filthy xenos they are."

A strike to his face comes to him and others as a surprise. Lina never felt so sad for her lover and his pride.

She angrily replies, "I can't believe that this is who I love; the man I loved will fight and die for the emperor of mankind. The man I loved will do whatever it takes to save not only us but use whatever he can. You want us to make it? Fine! But remember that the Tau are willing to die with us than suffer a horrible fate alone. I will help the Tau despite your issue with them. You may sit this one out Lord General Turner."

Once the Tau ship is near the War Harbinger, Lina order the operators to make the ship float above the Great Spear vessel. With the press of a button, grappler hooks come out and latch onto the Tau ship. The Tau feel violated; however, Lina explains the situation to them quickly.

She says, "Both of the FTL drives will be out of order soon. Our ship has the only warp drive device aboard. The eldar are already aboard our ship. I highly doubt we can accept any more uninvited guests. So, in order to get us out of this mess, I will active the warp drive and the FTL drive together. You had best to pray that you will survive the experience."

As Lina orders her teams and tech-priests to make their last adjustments, Max does what he can to keep the horror at bay. Both ships are unable to bare any more of the void from him. For Max to allow his powers to be unleashed, every warp sensitive being feels a mistake has been brought upon them. In minutes, Lina's teams set up the warp drive. With the last coordinates set, Lina activates the warp drive and the FTL drive. A warp portal opens before the ship. The Tau are puzzled and unable to see what the humans and eldar view. As the War Harbinger pulls the Great Spear into the warp portal to jump, Max looks back to see Kayleth still paralyzed with fear and hurt. He lets his guard down only for the ship to feel something hit it; Max calls to Kayleth. Everything begins to slow down as all await to see how this will turn out for them. Lucas and Lina stand side by side despite their issue; Carl rushes to Shelia's side. The Tau bow their head and look to the ethereal to see this through. The War Harbinger takes the Great Spear through the warp portal to jump. As time and every thought passes them by, none are certain that the end result will be a great one.

It takes them only one hour to pass through the warp before both ships emerge on the other side of the new galaxy. As they exit the warp, the FTL device for the Tau cracks in half and blows up. The warp drive and FTL aboard the War Harbinger suffer a back lash and become worthless. Everyone can't believe it; they all made it through the dark space nearly untouched. Every level aboard the War Harbinger is in need of tech repairs and adjustments. The Eldar slowly stand up and feel their nervous system restored to good health. Elenwe stands proud and allow her warp power to return to her. Veldoran looks to the health of others. Shelia stands up and begins to try and account for the eldar losses; Carl checks in with every station. Max lets Kayleth go only to hear her speak to him.

She says, "Thank you for saving us."

Max replies, "Well, I didn't want to lose you."

As the two stand up, they look around at the damage done to the ship. The eldar stand hurt and vulnerable to anything. Nothing prepared them for the pain of uncertain surprises. Max issues a few soldiers to assist the elder and the eldar accept all forms of help. As Kayleth sits back with nervous hands, Max comes to her.

He says, "It is alright. We made it through the dark space somehow. I don't know where we are, but we are safe. You and your friends take it easy."

Kayleth looks to see her the same pain and hurt roll over her kin; Shelia tries to remain strong, but it helps her none. Carl tries to help her; she nearly breaks down and cry. Only Elenwe stands strong and uses her power to recover. Veldoran meditates and waits patiently. With so much to repair and do, the eldar didn't even bother to deal with remaking their own ship. Max assures Kayleth he will return as he heads back to the top deck. Upon passing through the other decks, Max sees many eldar suffering from the same condition. Many are weak; some are frightened. The same can be said for the imperial army. No one knows what kind of warp monster they saw. All they know is all their systems are shot. Once Max makes it up top, he sees more problems have occurred without him knowing. Lucas stands annoyed at the situation; Lina is frustrated beyond words. Max didn't know what was going on, but he decided it was best to repair the ship then see what is going on. Aboard the Tau Great Spear, Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais gives thanks that the journey has been less tragic. As all three armies repair the ship and their nerves, many questions are being formed with no answer to them. The real questions that remain are: _How much time has passed? Where are we? Can we make it back home?_

 **Chapter 8: Section 8 – 3**

It is quiet now; it takes nearly three days to repair the damage done to the War Harbinger's systems. The trip beyond the halo zone was a dangerous one. Even the Tau aboard the Great Spear barely manage to keep their systems going with the limited resources they had. The fourth day comes to all and nothing is being picked up. Max awakes and recalls the events leading up to now. As he gets out of bed, he goes to the main deck. The events of what they all saw in the dark space still terrify them all; he finds it slightly a mess in one area of deck one. From scans of the dark areas to radio chatter, Max finally accepts what it now the first challenge they all face. The eldar, the tau, and the imperial army are lost with no way to come back home. Carl is seen at the console monitoring the last signal of the probe connecting to the beacon back on Saneesh. Max walks up to see Carl with sad eyes as though they committed a horrid crime against all that they represent. With a press of the button, the signal ends and Carl turns to Max.

He says, "Why are we here? We are lost in the dark space with only a few stars to guide us. Where will we go?"

Max gives him a smile and replies, "We are out here to stop the Sons of Malice. We knew taking this journey would bring us to a possible dead end; all we can do is stay on course and travel further ahead. The stars in this region are horrible to look at."

Carl sighs and looks out the observation window to see the dark space. Even with their lights, nothing but an empty void is before them. In the distance, a few stars shine with colors of green and red. None can say if they are even approaching a planet with a safe landing for them; Carl is relieved of duty as he heads down to rest. Max may have felt the tremendous weight on his shoulders; however, everyone else aboard the ship feels more lost than he did. As Max travels down each deck, he finds only half of the staff is active. Every single person aboard the War Harbinger only operated with a skeleton crew. Lucas and Lina are not present; Max understands the situation they both endure. Lina did choose to help the Tau forces over Lucas's own concern with them. The situation is fragile at the moment for the guardsmen and guardians of the imperium; Max receives a call from the ethereal. He puts him on a nearby monitor.

Aun El Rai says, "Greetings Commander Max. It is an honor to see you."

Max replies, "You don't have to call me that. I am just a mediator for you and my forces."

He continues, "A mediator that allowed the _Techno Woman_ to save my people from death on the trip we all made. I see you are using less of your people aboard the ship. We, too, are doing the same until a habitable planet is in range. So far, our long range communication has picked up nothing. I pray this journey out here will bring us some good news."

Max agrees, "Yes, for now, we will all do what we can until someone picks up a signal or if our scanners detect a planet. If anything, call me on my personal device, I don't want there to be any more conflict between you or Lucas. He still was infuriated over what his lover did for your people."

Max sends out his final orders to the Tau before coming to his room. Upon entering, he finds the place relaxing and his soup is cooking. He smiles at the idea of coming home to peace. The only condition is trying to make one person feel at peace with all that has happened.

He says, "Well, it is going into the fifth day and we have nothing yet. I don't take it your friends can help us."

Kayleth turns to Max and replies, "My kin are still recovering from what we saw in the dark space. It was not easy, but it gave me a new view on life. I do hope we find a safe haven from the dark reaches of space. We can only last about fifty years or more in space before the ship completely shuts down."

Max pulls her towards him. She smiles greatly with worry in her eyes.

He says, "We will make it. I promise you this. Nothing will not stop us from finding a new home."

As the two enjoy their night, many solar days go by. No signal is picked up; there are no alarms. It is a peaceful journey through the empty space around them. After an entire month goes by, there is signal. It is weak; the blinking lights flash softly in the dark. Emerging from the cyro sleep, Lucas takes notice to the blinking. He walks over only to be amazed that the War Harbinger has picked up a signal out here. Many more pods have others emerge from the deep sleep to discover the same thing. Without further ado, the ship becomes active and on full alert. It didn't take too long for the ship to be loud with humans and eldar moving around; Max joins Lucas on the top deck; he discovers Lina and Lucas not actively speaking.

Max says, "Good morning to you, both. I see that we have a surprise waiting for us yet you both are not full of life."

Lucas sighs, "Good morning, Max. The last few times have been not so great for some of us."

Lina agrees, "The journey has been tiresome. I just hope coming out here was worth it."

With Max not paying too much mind to his friends, he looks up the galaxy map to see what was causing the blinking. Once the monitor displays the object, it amazes the three leaders.

Lina says, "That's impossible. How did we get a signal out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Lucas adds, "We just jumped from our galaxy to the middle of empty space and found life out here. I'm curious myself to know what this is."

As the three begin to analyze and pull data from what they are reading, the discovery keeps surprising them. An incoming alert comes from the Great Spear; Max takes the call to find Shas'O Kais and Aun El Rai reporting the same thing. Even the eldar few more aware of what they are sensing through the warp. As the alliance of human, eldar, and tau advance through the dark space, they come across an unexpected surprise. A star shines brightly just like the star in the Segmentum Solar near Terra. As the ships drift around the star, the sight before them shocks all. It is a planet; it is much like any habitable planet only much larger than any could have ever hope for. The tech teams and system analyzers began trying to find any kind of readings for the planet. The atmosphere readings show oxygen is present; the landscape around it shows various climate changes in different zones. No one didn't know what to say or expect. All they can do is pray that this is the place they are searching for. Max and Lucas begin to organize a few search teams. They issue out orders to each unit; however, voices of the concerning groups rise to the matter of going to an unknown terra-like planet.

One sergeant of the imperial guard says, "Why should go onto the surface? The level of oxygen may be safe for us, but we don't know what is down there? For us to venture down below is to find death waiting for us."

A woman captain of the imperial guardsmen replies, "You raise an interesting point, but the results still stand the same. We are the hammer of the Emperor. We shall not let the unknown frighten us of what lies below. I say let us go forth and show any xeno why we will prevail here."

Max interrupts, "You both raise a good point, but that doesn't mean we will be careless once groundside. We shall exercise caution and make only a small defendable base."

An imperial guardian adds, "What of our eldar allies and newly acquainted xenos? The eldar didn't come this way with us for just the adventure. How do we know if they shall join us planet side? And what of the Tau forces? Lord General Lucas and Noble One Max may have agreed to have eldar assistance, but we should not rely on the Tau to support us when their aim is as slippery as their words are."

Lucas answers, "We know why we are out here. The Sons of Malice may be on this planet, but we don't know where they are at exactly. The eldar may not share everything with us, but for now, we will trust they didn't lead us to another world to die."

Before any more issues arise, Carl fires his bolter in the air. Everyone turns to him.

He says, "This matter is as easy as turning a hand over or lacing up a shoe. There is no need for all this chatter. I will lead the first unit to the surface and investigate the area. After I make sure everything is safe, you can send down a forward base until I find a suitable area for the colonization begins."

Max and Lucas raise an eye brow to Carl; however, they admire his determination. With no more words of doubt, they give him the task. Due to his uplifting speech, a few imperial guardsmen gladly wish to join Carl as the first unit. Max and Lucas stand back and watch as he commands with the sense of an imperial leader.

Carl says, "We came this far and will find either a beautiful planet to mark for the imperium of man or a new landscape to kill our enemies on. The first unit under my command will report and scout the area; I want all troops to keep their radios on and be alert. We don't know what is down there. Anyone of you speaking ill of the mission will be no longer apart of the mission. I offer you only one chance to walk away; if you seek glory, you are with the wrong unit. If you seek discovery, then this is it. Now let's go to the surface and find ourselves a place to set up."

The guardsmen cheer and cry, "For the imperium of man, we all shall die for the Immortal Emperor!"

The unit is made up of two companies. They all climb aboard the shuttles; the hanger doors open up and seal off the rest. As the shuttles begin to exit, Lina turns on the monitors to keep track of their position. Max and Lucas return back to the top deck and get ready to view what the unit will find. The shuttles easily break through the orbit and descend from the sky. Once through, they marvel at what they find. It is a beautiful sight to see. A jungle full of life and wildness to explore; the reports are hard for those aboard the War Harbinger to believe; a planet full of life out here is quiet the discovery. After five more minutes of air travel, the companies find a decent area to land at. The shuttles touch down. Carl and his unit pile out of the shuttles; they begin to take notice of the open area next to the tree line. It was not much, but it is a start. Carl contacts Lina to send down the base transport ships. As everyone aboard the War Harbinger begins to move around, an incoming message pings the imperial vessel. Max takes the message at the console only to see Aun El Rai.

Max asks, "What seems to be the problem?"

Aun El Rai answers, "There is no issue; however, if you are going to investigate the planet further, then allow us to join you. We need to help ourselves to the discovery of this planet. It may be best not only for you, but us also."

Max disagrees with the idea until Lucas says, "You may send only two of your scouting parties to join Carl on the surface. It is a good idea to keep your main forces back until we know it is safe."

Aun El Rai accepts the offer and ends the broadcast. Lina and Max turn to Lucas with questions. Normally, Lucas is full of rage and fury towards the Tau.

Max asks, "Is there a reason why you are now suddenly nice to the Tau?"

Lina adds, "Please, tell me this is not your idea of trying to kill the enemy?"

Lucas looks to the monitor of the planet and says, "The Tau are here for something. It is true they are helping us out with the mission to stop the Sons of Malice; however, I see a deeper reason behind their method of helping us. Like the eldar, they will not reveal their intentions until after they acquire what they need. For now, we are all here working as a whole. We came here to stop the Sons of Malice from bringing forth their God from the warp. If we fail to stop the enemy here, they can alter the course of what our main forces are trying to achieve. So, we have no choice but to accept any kind of help be it human or xeno. The eldar came here with us willingly; they are masking their own objectives for what they seek out here. They did not help us locate this planet to help us out. They are after something, but I will not press too hard to learn what it is."

He continues, "The Tau assisting us is a good way for us to see them in action against the enemy we all now face. Yes, they have superior firepower, but how good it is. How good are they as a fighting force? How well organized are they? Do they have any weakness we can use to our advantage? I may be no friend to any xeno of the galaxy, but I learn from what the enemy shows me. For now, I will be the kind person I am, but I remember what the imperium taught me when dealing with the xenos. And I apologize for not being the lord general I should have been early before we got out here. All I can do is remain true to what we are here to do."

Max nods his head in agreement. As he returns to scan the planet more, Lina excuses herself and Lucas from the others. Once alone, she hugs him tightly.

She says, "I know this has not been easy for you, but I will still support you regardless of what is going on. Just promise me you won't give in to hatred."

Lucas sighs, "And I promised myself to share everything with you. Seeing the Tau here with us reminds me of what happen to me long ago. I will tell you now because I love you Lina."

As Carl receives radio updates from Max of the Tau becoming involved, he and his unit look to the sky to see drop carriers fall. The carriers land hard on the surface just outside of their camp. As they journey over to see the commotion, the guardsmen come across the Tau builders and scouting parties. At the front of the unit commanding the teams, he sees her again.

Suu says, "Fire teams will break off into two teams. Team one will join me and the guardsmen on the scout. Team two will stay here and keep the builders safe. We will report as we go."

Carl clears his throat; the tau and Suu turn about to see the guardsmen standing ready. Upon seeing Carl, Suu's eyes lit up with joy. As much as she wants to embrace him, her mind becomes focus and alert. She greets Carl and informs them of their plan. With the tau and humans acting in accord, they begin to journey to the next location as a team. Carl keeps his eyes looking ahead of him. Suu orders her pathfinders and fire warriors to stay close to the humans and double check the surroundings. Once ahead of the pack, Suu speaks with Carl.

She says, "I am honored to be on this expedition with you. We will eliminate any and all foes that oppose us."

Carl keeps his eyes alert, but replies, "As much as you are happy to see me, I need your eyes on the area; we don't know what is on this planet."

Suu constantly eyes Carl with great interest. He comes to a halt and places his hand on the ground. She looks at him with confusion. Before she can ask why is he touching the ground, the Tau look further ahead of the guardsmen as they all hear Carl shout: **GET READY**!

 **Chapter 8: Section 8 – 4**

The ground rumbles and shakes; every weapon is locked and loaded. They all stand alert and ready to face whatever comes at them. They breathe steady and easy. Each hand and finger is ready as they can be. There is a loud screaming noise; it seems rather familiar. As Carl informs the War Harbinger of the approaching threat, he looks to his side and sees Suu nervous. He looks around to see some of the imperial soldiers tremble with fear of what will break through the tree line. He urges them all to stand strong; he calls upon them to seek courage. Most of all, he lets them know that no force that comes at the imperial guard will break their morale. A tall tree in the distance falls over; they keep their eyes locked at what comes from the bushes. In a surprising display of rage and unstoppable muscle, a green monster appears and roars with a single word: _Waaagh!_

As the green horde smashes through the bushes and crashes through small trees, Carl forgot that his radio com is still broadcasting to all on the channel. He lets out one single word that leaves everyone confused about the current situation.

Carl screams, "YES!"

Suu, the tau warrior, the imperial guard, and all that hear Carl didn't understand why one man would be excited to see the orks come from a tree line. Aboard the War Harbinger, everyone didn't understand how a message of trouble can turn into excitement. Lina, Lucas, and Max all look to the monitor and give Carl a call as to what did he see that is showing so much red on the monitors.

Carl replies, "Hey, we know this enemy. It is the orks of Bone Snappa. This is the same orks we destroyed a long time ago. I recognize the symbol anywhere."

Thanks to the video feed cameras installed by the tech-teams, they all receive clear images; the monitors begin to show the War Harbinger. No one didn't understand how this was possible. Each symbol of War Boss Bone Snappa is proudly displayed. Max is confused yet curious; Lucas is at a lost but ready. Lina is trying to understand. How in the name of all that is holy did a band of Bone Snappa orks end up on the same planet where they are? With no way to fully combat the enemy, Lucas issues Carl the withdraw plan. Before Carl can ask why, Lina supports his idea.

She adds, "Lead the orks back to your forward base. Make sure the Tau retreat as well too unless you all want to be little bits of pieces."

With the orders acknowledged, Carl and the imperial guard giving the orks a reason to chase. They begin to fire at the green-skins and retreat back to the shuttles. Suu didn't understand the logic.

Carl looks to her, "If you want to see another day, you will fall back right now!"

Suu orders her troops to fall back. The mob of orks break through the tree line to reveal more than a few are coming out for battle. The two faction fall back as fast as possible to the forward bases. The imperial shuttles are ready to lift off as the guardsmen pile in as fast as possible. Carl and a handful of guardians take turns covering the rear guard; the tau fire warriors abandon their forward operations. Suu ensures no piece of tech or equipment will fall in ork hands. She adds explosives on each structure to reduce it to atoms. With the last of the guardsmen aboard, Carl climbs on the shuttle; the ships pull away to see the orks ransack the buildings for parts. Once the shuttles are clear, an eruption occurs. When they pull up the screen, the guardsmen see the devastation done.

Carl contacts the War Harbinger, "Why and when did you set charges to the forward base?"

Max and Lucas look to Lina and she answers, "It was a ruse that I had made for any situation should the enemy try to use our technology against us. Yes, it was a risky gamble. You were so set on touching the ground first so I made sure that we had a fail-safe plan ready."

The monitors on the shuttles and ship go off; it didn't take long before they all were viewing the impossible. It was flying high into the sky and barely holding together. The ship is still functioning yet weak. Carl, Lucas, Max, and Lina didn't understand how the same ork vessel still flies high after being destroyed years ago. As the shuttles fly fast away from the approaching enemy, Lina orders the operators to fly the ship to a distance landscape. They would find a perfect landscape to fight off the orks and colonize a new base of operations. As the War harbinger goes towards the surface, the eldar warriors stand fast and make their weapons ready for war. Shelia easily directs her kin with the same sense of war once taught to her; she would proudly lead them into battle and destroy the orks. The idea of commanding didn't make her over confident; however, it did inspire her to live up to being the new Autarch to the craftworld of Alaitoc.

She says, "The humans will find a suitable location to set up for war. We shall follow them and land a few miles away from their base. The orks are here on this planet, but this will be their new grave once we slaughter them. All howling banshees will take to the field. Every dire avenger shall assist any imperial guardians when possible. Once we are on the surface, we will reconstruct the Faded Light."

Once the War Harbinger passes up the orbit, the eldar quickly open warp portals and disappear from the human ship. Shortly after, the eldar land on the surface and use their bone singers to reconstruct the Faded Light. The Tau monitor what both factions are doing before they follow closely behind the War Harbinger. Once the Tau recover the last of their transport ships, it didn't take them long to be ready to follow in the same manner. After the eldar finish creating the Faded Light, the eldar take to the sky once more. All three ships fly into the sky of the new planet. The readings are high on resource detection; none can say if this planet would be a new fortress for the imperium of man or a safe haven for the Tau. Even the eldar have their own designs for what they can do to the undiscovered world. After flying two hours away from the ork vessel, the scans for a new territory begin. The surface is so beautiful and amazing. It is still hard for many to believe a single planet has existed outside of the milky way; many landscapes are flat and smooth. Some are open and have hills. There are many possibilities of where to setup the new base at. The last two hours of searching brings them to what appears to be a place of ascension. The land is smooth yet has a high rise in a few areas; the surface in the east is beautiful yet inviting. Lucas orders the operators to stop the ship just at the head of the highest hill they can find.

He says, "This is perfect. We can start the colony here and really have great areas to defend ourselves."

Max disagrees, "This location may look great, but what about the possibility of not getting the resources we need. The enemy can easily cut us off or make it harder on us to fight our way out."

Lina keeps looking over the map and finds a lower region near the area just two miles from the area. She turns to them and calls them over.

She says, "This is the best area. There is water flowing from that river and it leads down into a large lake. We can easily set up here and keep the morale high. Sure, the landscape isn't perfect but we do have ways to use it to our advantage."

Lucas smiles and adds, "I'm glad you found this area. The terrain is both high and low. We can easily set up towers and perimeters better than ever."

Carl comes to them and says, "This may be a problem landing in a valley such as this. The outer areas are high with mountains for the enemy to rain down fire on us. I urge you all to keep looking a little more. Surely, we can find a place to land at."

After careful consideration, they all agree to journey further away. A radio call comes from the Great Spear; Max and Lucas take the call to hear what the Tau will say.

Shas'O Kais says, "This area does not suit you? If you don't want it, we will take it for ourselves."

Lucas and Max happily let the Tau occupy the area; however, the eldar didn't want to see such an area occupied by the Tau.

Shelia contacts Shas'O Kais and says, "You cannot have this area. We will take it for ourselves."

Aun El Rai interrupts, "The Tau deem this area worthy for our great expansion. If you wanted it, you should have claimed it before we did. This will be our land."

Veldoran joins Shelia and adds, "You best watch yourself, young one. The eldar are here to settle this land and nothing more."

As the two xeno species bicker back and forth, the War Harbinger drifts away. They come to a new location just fifty miles from the others. Lucas, Carl, Lina, and Max all agree that the area is perfect. Only a hill is present with plenty of flat landscape for them to set up a base; they see the mountains in the east and west; the south is nothing but a two-mile hike to a water fall that leads to the ocean. The best part is the river flow next to the hill. As the colonization begins, many are anxious to get boots on the ground to see the place for themselves. Lina and Lucas organize the areas of what would go where and how; Carl and Max greatly instruct the military groups of which would have what. By Lina's calculations, the orks would reach them in two weeks or so. They all agree that only 4 to 8 hours of rest until the bases are defendable. For the first two days, everyone focuses on the defense of the area. The tech teams and the builders construction five large towers to be able to see out into the distance land. By the fifth day, every possible way to sneak into the forces neutralized; every path is covered with traps, mines, and kill zones ready for an ork to run through. The rest of the resources are used on base fortifications and more defenses. As Carl looks out into the land, he smiles at what they accomplished. Lucas looks over the reports and grins at the news each one brings; Lina marvels at how well everything has worked out. Max keeps the morale high. In a week and a half, the base is set up to send troops out into the land for more. Lucas and Max are eager to lead out the first armies; however, Carl stops them.

Max asks, "Since when did you give the orders around here? Or, are you that eager to lead a team and run into your Tau partner?"

Lucas adds, "I hope you are doing this for a sense of duty and not to satisfy your _'urge'_ for someone not human."

Carl waits and laughs happily at the two. He says, "First, we are on this planet to explore what it holds for us. If it is a good one, then we shall claim it for the imperium of man. There can be no xenos on this planet unless they are here to benefit us. Second, we are using the Rogue Traders regulations and have clearance to use whatever we can to accomplish the goal. Right now, the tau and eldar are here to claim this planet from us and seek out their own objectives. If they are stay, then we will not allow xeno contamination to infest within our ranks or personal. Third, we are here to stop the Sons of Malice from doing any dark deeds for their masters. If we require help, then the eldar and tau will assist us. I know here my loyalty lies at; I am not here for some blue-skin tau warrior regardless of how alluring she is. And I do recall Max that you got involved with an eldar autarch of their craftworld thus you should not dare speak ill of me. As for you Lucas, I may not know your whole story, but since when did my own matters become a problem for you. If you trust my judgement now, then believe me as I try to live up to what the Emperor demands."

Lucas wants to be upset, but he admires the fierce determination. Max nearly speaks, but he does recall his affection towards Kayleth. With no doubt that Carl will be perfect, both men allow him to head out with the first companies into the land. They agree to follow him and provide support; Lina organizes the skitarri legions to head out and set up traps along the way. With the imperial army marching out, they all smile at what will come their way. The first journey takes them to an open field. After they set up a small camp, the sensors pick up movement. From the western field, the tau fire warriors are encountered. Shas'O Kais leads them proudly; it didn't take long before the eldar join them. All three armies join their forces to be ready for the orks. Lucas and Max speak with Shelia and Shas'O. Veldoran, Carl, and Suu keep the army ready and alert. Though the eldar and humans speak among each other, the tau forces keep to their own kind. In the center of the imperial base, all side stand eager for a fight against the orks. There are only a few questions that remind unanswered.

Max says, "Well, this is an unusual gathering of leaders in the galaxy. Shelia, where is Elenwe and Kayleth? I figured they would join us in this battle against an old foe that we all believed was dead."

Lucas adds, "You raise a good point, Max. I do not see the ethereal Aun El Rai here today with you. So, Shas'O Kais. Why is your leader of the tau not present with you to battle the orks?"

Shelia answers, "Elenwe is using her wisdom and warp powers to find the location of the Sons of Malice. She couldn't be here to support us against the vile orks. Yes, she easily found where they strike from, but now the enemy seems to be moving more. As for Kayleth, I do remember you had her under your eyes so she should be around when you are. I am not here to rely information to you about her whereabouts."

Shas'O Kais replies, "The great ethereal El Rai is keeping a watchful eye on the tau command center; he is overseeing all fortifications should any of the orks get clever enough to venture near our base. El Rai need not concern himself with the war effort against an ugly foe. Besides, you have me to make sure you don't fail so easily."

Max and Lucas didn't know if the answers were more insulting to their pride as men or a cut at their ego. In any case, they all agree that the orks must be dealt with. Carl keeps his soldiers alert for any surprises. As he looks on to see everyone at peace with the eldar and tau, he hears a voice among the crowds calling him. It didn't take him long to see her bumping into him with a smile on her face.

Suu says, "Hello, I see you are here as well. I hope you will accompany me and my unit on the front lines when the orks appear."

Before he can reply, Veldoran appears and says, "Hmmmm, and here I though Max had an interest for other xeno life. I guess I was wrong."

Carl quickly backs up and says, "It is not what it appears. She just wants me to be at the front with her. I already made it my commitment to be ready to face the orks of Bone Snappa again; I shall not back off when I have the chance to face them."

Suu approaches Carl and adds, "Then, I shall wait for you at the front with my unit."

As he watches her walk away, Carl nearly forgets the sound of everything. He eyes her with great interest until he feels a pinch at his arm. He looks down to see a warp ring pinching him thanks to Veldoran.

The enchanted warlock says, "You may find her interesting, but her actions are not as they seem. Be cautious, Carl. I believe she is leading you down the wrong path."

As the alarms and sensor arrays scream to every one of the approaching enemy, they all scramble to the front of the operations and take aim out into the open field. The tau stands ready; the eldar and humans are ready. The time to face the orks has come.

 **Chapter 8: Section 8 – 5**

The noise is loud and powerful; they roar with joy of what is to come. The numbers are without end and the enemy is a sea of green muscles. Every nerve is set on killing; each mind is turning to war and the orks will never stop. As the orks come forward, a band of small orks rush at the targets. The only thought is to slaughter everyone in the area. It didn't take long before the orks charge into a killing zone. Every lasrifle, pulse rifle, and eldar range weapon fires. Each shot hits the ork mob in the face, neck, head, arm, shoulder, leg, stomach, chest, or foot. The first mob goes down easy with no loss on the side of order; the next wave of orks come at them. They use their shields to stop the range weapons. It works for short time until battle tanks fire into the groups. Even highly advanced tau hammer heads join the battle and fire upon any remaining orks left alive. Once done, the ogryn squads advance forward with shields of their own. Like moths to a flame, the orks send a third wave at them shield wielding brutes. The ogryns form a massive shield wall with imperial guardians and guardsmen right behind them. As the orks close in to slam against them, a new surprise comes to all of them. The Kroot warriors leap high over the shield wall and strike at the orks; the massacre of the orks is surprising.

With no time to wait, Max orders the first line to change. He joins the new allies despite the unusual alliance they have with them; Lucas orders the battle tanks to move up and keep the ork looter tanks on their heels. It didn't take long before the eldar joins their allies and slaughter any green monster around them. The fire warriors move up the battle field and provide multiple cover. As many and numerous the orks are, each wave is eliminated in various ways. Many are shot; many blow up from cannon fire. It is score after score after score of orks dying by the hundreds if not thousands. One field of battle has kroot warriors and ogryns fighting orks hand to hand. They stab and clobber the green-skins with vicious tactics. Some orks didn't think any ogryn has a hard skull until head-butting proves dangerous; the Kroot bite and swallow chunks of ork flesh to increase in size. As tough as they are, the kroot teams and pack leaders taste the enemy in hopes of finding a perfect source.

In the center, Shelia and Max use their teams carefully and cooperatively to thrash the orks. Where one eldar warrior strikes, an imperial guardian fires his lasrifle into the side of the brute. If an imperial soldier stabs a ork in the leg, they can expect the eldar dire avengers to fire their weapon right at the eyes. The more they keep the orks off balance, the deadlier the strategy leaves nothing to chance. As a mob rushes upon Max and Shelia, unexpected pulse rifles rip away at the orks. Shelia looks behind her to see Lucas and fire warriors joining them in the battle. Even the great Shas'O Kais flies into battle to risk himself for the chance for victory. In another section of the field, Carl keeps his troops advancing strong as they continue to lay down suppressive fire on the flanking parties. With his annoyance finally getting the best of him, he leaps from cover and calls out to the monsters for a challenge. An ork chieftain eagerly accepts his request; the ork chief charges at him swinging his mighty axe and Carl chuckles at how foolish the ork is only to see it fall to the ground with a shot to the face.

Carl looks back to see Suu of the fire warriors, "I didn't require your assists against the chieftain. He was already dead before he knew it."

Suu advances her team to join the guardsmen; she joins Carl just a few feet ahead of the others.

She says, "You allow yourself to be exposed to danger. You should stay in cover."

Carl scoffs at her notion until he feels a hand on his shoulder; he looks back to see her stopping him from advancing forward. Before he can reply, three companies of orks rush at them. Only a handful of orks stop to focus on the pair as the rest charge into the firing squads. Carl and Suu stand back to back as the monsters laugh and howl with joy.

Suu says, "You have exposed us to more danger. How can we overcome this?"

Carl throws small disks towards the others and yells, "Cover your eyes and ears now!"

The orks look at the disk with confusion. In second, the area erupts with smoke and disorients the orks. Carl looks around to see the brutes stumble around; Suu didn't understand until he rushes at the first ork and stabs it. With quick reaction, Carl fires at the next ork. Suu quickly follows up his assault and eliminates two more. Only three left; the last three recover quickly. Carl throws his knife at one of the three; the blade cuts an ork in the eye and Suu fires her rifle at the next ork. The blast scratches out its eyes. Before they can do more, the same war chief approaches them and easily kills the lesser orks. Carl and Suu look to see the brute still alive with a small hole in its head. With no support and their companies dealing with the orks, the duo take the fight to the chieftain. Carl fires at arm only to see the beast charge at him; he leaps back as the axe slams into the ground. Suu tosses her last grenade at the brute to stun it. The ork throws the axe in her direction. She barely dodges the attack only to be grabbed by the neck and slammed on the ground. She looks up to see the ork ready to smash her face in; Carl shoots at the ork and drives it back for Suu to roll away. She pulls out her combat knife and leaps at the ork again. The ork feels the knife go into his neck. Before it can react, Carl fires at the creature and cripples its arm and leg. Suu continues to hammer the knife into the ork by the neck. The beast falls over dead; Carl and Suu breathe hard at their successful fight.

She says, "If there is one thing I hate, it is getting up close with an ork for combat."

Carl laughs a little only to see that the damage is not done. He sprints at the beast and fires multiple lasrifle shots into the chest of the ork. The beast goes down again.

He says, "It is all in a days' work. This bunch may be down over here, but we still have more to kill."

As the two walk back to the companies, they hear more noise from behind their back. It is still impossible to accept what they see. The same war chief stands up with a hole in its chest and neck; the ork can't move one of its arms and leg.

It roars, "Iz dat all youz got?!"

Carl and Suu sigh together only to hear their companies walk up behind them. Carl nods his head to his unit and Suu does the same. Both companies of open fire and keep up the barrage of firepower until the war chief is nothing but a pile of blood and flesh. With the orks now retreating to get more help, the imperial army, the eldar, and the tau take a moment to enjoy the great success of their first battle on the new planet. Max and Lucas march back with their egos high; Shelia and Veldoran speak of what can come next. Shas'O Kais sends his success to Aun El Rai. As the sun begins to sink behind the landscape, all reports come in as everyone strengthens their hold on the area. The Tau keep their sentry teams alert and ready. Many eldar stand perfectly still like statues and wait until it is time to strike. The patrol teams head out and keep each guardsman focused. With so much still unanswered, Max and Lucas use the time they can to see what each of their allies are after. Before they begin their investigation, Carl joins them to deliver his final report. Before he can leave, Lucas and Max invite him to their chat.

Max says, "Carl, what can you tell us about any encounters with the tau forces. I would ask Lucas, but he seems to want to put as much distance between him and their leader."

Carl shrugs his shoulders and answers, "I don't know much other than what the imperial intel has given us. Right now, we seem to be on good terms with them; however, they are here with us for more than just simple recovery based on everything we know."

Lucas adds, "You seem to have the attention of one fire warrior; I was told by your teams that she couldn't stop looking at you when you were returning to base."

He quickly says, "I swear by the Immortal Emperor that I am not giving her any ideas to look in my direction."

Max says, "Maybe that is what we need. They only told us of what they are after, but Lucas and I believe there is more to this story than what they are letting us know. For now, since I am keeping the peace with the eldar, you may keep the tau forces cooperating with us. Find out what she knows and rely it back to us."

Carl asks, "How do you expect me to find out something from her? I highly doubt she will tell me anything."

Lucas and Max look at Carl with an eye brow raised. The idea of what they want to say nearly shocks him.

He says, "For the love of the Emperor, I am not even going to go down that road with her. She is of the tau; Suu is a xeno that the emperor himself would kill. For you two to think that I need to do that disgusts me."

Max and Lucas laugh a little; the laughter leaves Carl confused and irritated.

Lucas replies, "I know you will not let those kind of feelings be involved with her; Max already did that. For now, you are to do what you see best and find out what she knows. I am sending out a scouting party to the next area. You are to go with them and lead the search. Report anything back to us."

Before Carl can answer, Max urges him to hurry up and get out there.

Once alone, Max turns to Lucas and says, "Are you sure that is a good idea to send him with her on any mission? He may be tempted to do the unholy act."

Lucas sighs and says, "I understand the risk of sending him out there. It has happened before with you, but yours is understandable since you were a lost soldier of the imperium. I only hope he will keep his thoughts away from any ideas to try with her should they end up alone. For now, all we can do is wait and see what he does. Hopefully, the tau will share more information with us than what the eldar have told us before."

Before Lucas can leave, Max says, "You never did tell me about why your hatred for the tau is so high. Now is a good time to share it with me."

As the night begins, Veldoan and Shelia both speak in council with what is going on. It seems fate demands more time spent with them.

Veldoran says, "The location here is strong, yet we can't find the it. The amount of power Elenwe used nearly drained her; she is still recovering."

Shelia says, "It will be alright. For now, we will wait. I just hope the trip out here was worth it. It will be difficult for us to return back to the craftworld. Ugh, this task is more dangerous than before."

As the two speak of the issue at hand, a warp portal opens and Kayleth steps through.

She says, "We all knew coming here would be dangerous for us, but the future is set. It will give us what we need or show us more that is to come."

Veldoran turns to her and adds, "It is still hard to believe that we came out here. I don't know how Elenwe and you did it, but I am glad."

Kayleth looks puzzled yet unsure. She says, "Our warp powers are strong, but something else called us out here. It is an odd and familiar. All she did recall was some form of laughter being heard."

The three sit in silences and continue to talk. Back at the eldar camp, Elenwe continues to harness her warp power and recover. As she meditates on all that has happened, she hears the laughter again. Instead of fear or rage, she feels more peaceful than ever.

She thought, _"I know that laugh from somewhere. I hope this is not a ruse."_

Lina keeps the imperial fortress together as they all continue to improve the base and surrounding area. Lucas keeps her informed of all battle plans; Lina informed him of all fortress updates. It would not be long before the factions return to their base to continue their work. Out in the shadows, Carl leads his team forward. A few eldar scouts join him as an escort. They rush by bushes and search all around. From high areas to low zones, no place is left unchecked. Carl still has his thoughts circling over and over about what Max and Lucas want him to do; the very idea of involving himself with the tau nearly causes him to rage; however, he does find himself feeling slightly intrigued by the idea of being around the tau fire warriors. It may be a chance for him to gain more insight for the imperial intelligence. His unit comes to a small open kill zone. A set of red dots appear on him and causes all his troops to halt their advance. Out from the bushes, the tau warriors step forward. They all lower their rifles as the unit leader removes the helmet. Carl looks upon her. As before, he feels his thoughts and eyes get hypnotized. She dismisses her unit to keep an eye out for any advances. Carl allows his troops to scout ahead and report any unusual findings. Once they are alone, Carl feels his heart rate slowly rise.

Suu says, "It is good to see you here again. I didn't expect you to show up here."

Carl replies, "Well, it is good to see that you share the same idea of tactics I do. I figured scouting for more orks is a good way to report any sudden surprises back to the command center."

As Carl looks around, he takes notice to what Suu does. She drinks from her canister; the more he stares at her, the more his keeps putting up his mental guard. Carl pulls a small bottle from his kit and takes a long drink of his own water. He keeps his eyes shut the entire time and recalls every word once told to him. _Burn the mutate. Kill the heretic…she is…_ Carl snaps his mind out of the slight daze and looks around again. He sees her adjust her body armor. The very sight of her causes him to fire his lasrifle into the ground. She becomes alert; the small trick worked.

Carl says, "Oh my mistake. I guess I am use to expecting an ork or dark eldar to come at me."

Suu places her gun away and approaches him. The heart rate climbs higher.

She says, "Maybe you need to relax yourself; I can show you how if you are not bound by any restrictions."

He quickly blocks out the idea of 'relaxation'. Carl tests his radio com to hear from the others; they all report that they have seen nothing. Before he can focus on anything else, Suu brushes up against him with interest. Carl tries to pull away, but he feels weaker than before. Suu guides her hands up his face and he tries to reach for his communications device; however, she turns it off for him. Carl feels his heart rising higher and can't focus his thoughts; Suu is close to him.

She whispers, "Tell me who you are, Carl of the imperial guardians."

Carl swallows hard and thought, _"Please, Emperor of mankind. Please, do not allow my strength to fail me now."_

 **Hi and hello to all who are reading Dawn of War: Fateful Journey. Please, bear with me. I am still going to finish this fan-fiction story with as much plot twist as I can, but not too much. Yes, I am working and typing this when I can. And no, I haven't forgotten about the horrible sentence structure I did in Destiny War. When I can, I will go over those and adjust them. For now, keep on enjoying the reading and leave a post. I try to check them when I can. Big Boss Pugh.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**

" _The imperium of man chases after new foes and old enemies. The eldar fight for survival and keep their agenda hidden; the tau seeks to reclaim that which is lost and continue to expand. All of these factions have their own secrets and many truths must be told in order to gain trust. The only question remaining:_ _ **What have you not told us?**_ _"_

 **Chapter 9: Section 9 – 1**

The night is young; everything is peaceful. The humans are ready and resting. The eldar are alert yet steady. The Tau are always eager and patient. Even after their successful war against the old orks of Bone Snappa, they feel confident to face the Sons of Malice. In the deep field of the open land, the breathing is hard. Each breath is heavy than the last one. The heart rate is high and loud; the heart beats against the chest with a violent strike and the eyes meet with eyes of mystery. There are a few words spoken. Every single thought was hard, trained, and ready for war. Now, each thought is being replaced by something worse than heresy. Each word is now overcoming with desire, want, and urge. Carl leans slightly back only to feel her soft hands touch his face and she told him _"Tell me who you are, Carl of the Imperial Guardians"_. As Suu looks into his eyes with desire and want, Carl feels his focus slipping away. Before she can become closer to him, a radio com goes off on her suit. She pulls away from Carl to answer the message.

Carl thought, _"Thank the Emperor that they called her."_

Suu slaps back on her helmet for combat and turns to him, "There is something going on with our scouts; we must hurry to their destination."

He quickly shakes off his daze and joins her. They both rush to the last known area of the danger; the radio chatter goes on and off. There are cries of pain and hurt. When they arrive, they see their teams pull back from the hidden warrior. The individual is wearing black and white. She turns to them and faces everyone. All the scouting teams are alive; many are cut at the arms, legs, and stomach. They would live, but each requires a medic for the pain. Suu and Carl step forward. The individual turns to them and smiles with a bloody smirk. Carl recognizes her attire; Suu sees a familiar face.

She says, "Oh, and here I was hoping for the others to show up. I guess you will both do."

Carl growls, but Suu damns the woman, "You stole from us! I demand that you bring them back now!"

The woman looks at Suu and smiles more, "Ah, I remember you and your filth. We attacked you many solar months back. I am surprised you brought them to help you. It is a shame though. Your comrades didn't make it long enough to see how this will all end…"

Suu fires her pulse rifle at the woman, but she easily dodges the blasts. She rushes at her and cuts Suu's arm. She tries to lift the rifle, but the pain is too much. The mystery woman leaps back and Carl steps in front of his ally.

He says, "Don't worry. I got your back. We can't win here."

The woman turns to Carl with the same dead eyes; Carl feels nervous.

She says, "I won't kill her or you. You are both to deliver a message for me to your commanders. Let them know that they are on sacred land and there will be blood from them. The orks being here is no issue, but they are welcome to die. No one will stop our Dark God Malice from coming into this galaxy; I am the Dark Apostle of Malice. My name will be revealed upon my death to your master."

With her words delivered, she hops away and disappears into a warp cloud. Suu falls over only for Carl to catch her; he looks back to see their teams hurt from the pain. Carl radios the nearest shuttle to get them back to base. Suu presses the emergency button and signals the Tau medic shuttle. With the sudden appearance of a follower of Malice, things went from normal to worst. It didn't take too long for the teams to be picked up and brought back to base. Once retrieved, Carl and Suu stand together in the same opening with their commanders present to explain what happen. Max joins the group to hear of what is going on.

Carl begins, "I don't know how she got near us, but everything happened so fast. She clearly didn't mean to kill us. All the wounds are meant to do is hurt us greatly. She didn't even want to fight us. She wanted our leaders instead."

Shas'O Kais adds, "I see that the same woman is still alive and moving. She must be found and brought to justice."

Lucas interrupts, "I'm sorry, but let me clear my ears. You want her brought in alive to give her justice? The only justice she will receive is the same the Sons of Malice shall receive."

Before they get out of hand, Shelia and Veldoran appear among the others.

Veldoran says, "I see that the Sons of Malice finally appear."

Shelia adds, "The best thing to do is return to base and strengthen up our defenses. They will attack again and may use the orks to mask their objective."

Max turns to the pair and says, "Hold on, we can't just sit back and wait for the enemy to strike at us. The orks of Bone Snappa is a minor issue that can easily be dealt with. The Sons of Malice require us to focus on them. We need to hurry up and find out where they will strike from."

Shelia snaps at Max and answers, "You may gladly get yourself killed, but we are not at your call like a pet. We have our own ways of dealing with the enemy as do you. We will retreat to our base."

Max nearly allows his blank abilities to slowly stretch out; Veldoran stands his ground in front of Shelia.

He says, "You eldar have been less than talkative as of lately. So, why don't you share with us why you are out here?"

Before the conflict gets out of hand, Kayleth appears in between Max and Veldoran. Lucas and Shelia stand by and watch as the issue slowly boils over.

She looks to Max, "Please, do not be hasty with your words. We have our reasons for being out here, but they do not involve your presence."

Max wants to let his raw unchecked powers and abilities drain the eldar nearby; however, he agrees to the need to keep the peace. He walks away with Lucas following close by.

Shelia coldly says, "Your significant _mon-keigh_ would do well to remember who he is talking with, Kayleth."

Instead of a calm reply, Kayleth quickly turns to her and replies, "You would do well to remember that he can kill you all and myself with just his unnatural power. I may not be the autarch of this craftworld no more, but I am no fool. Step cautiously with your words, Shelia."

Veldoran calls to Shelia as she steps away. Despite being no longer an important person of her kin, her friend still sees too much power that can rise out from her. Kayleth takes her leave of the area to find Max. As the alliance falls back to the home base, Carl finishes patching up the last of the scouts. Once done, he recalls the events of what the mystery woman meant. He didn't have to wait long before one of his soldiers approach him.

The woman says, "Imperial Guardian Carl, you have a visitor that requires your time."

Carl goes with the young soldier only to find Suu waiting for him. He sighs and dismisses the soldier from the area. Carl didn't understand what is going on with her.

He says, "So, what brings you over here to this side of the base? We are all about to fall back to the command center. You would do well to hurry up and join your others…"

With a sudden rush upon him, she gives him a hug. Carl is puzzled by this action, but he understands why. She nearly died against the deadly opponent they faced.

Suu looks into his eyes, "I knew you were the one and I have all the proof I need. Thank you, Carl. Allow me to leave you something."

Carl raises an eye brow; he wonders what did she mean. She opens a case on her gear. Inside, she pulls out a small device and hands it to him.

She says, "I want you to have this. It is my personal communications. Call me whenever you are out on another scout. I wish to learn what I can of your methods."

As she turns away from him, Carl allows his mind to nearly go blank with thoughts of mixed emotions. He didn't understand how someone he just met can be so mysterious yet so beautiful too; the idea of her liking him seems highly suspicious or an attempt to give up information. He shakes off the idea of any desire for her; the alliance breaks off and returns back to their respective bases. The orks are down for now, but they will return back to keep on fighting. Now, the Sons of Malice have made an entrance on the planet. The day is over for now, but the next few days of preparations must be carefully considered before any more can be done. In the lands far away from the forces of order, carnage keeps on occurring. A head-butt happens here and there; the sound of gun fire is at random. An ork nob keeps his lesser orks in line. All around their heads is smoke, joy, rage, and _orky behavior_. The ork vessel flies high above their head and can barely function. The explosion from within the ship damaged the combat capability. The outer surface of the horrid ship is torn and shattered; however, if the orks are good at one thing, it is their ability to adapt to any situation. The massive hole in the ship is fixed up with more junk and scrap; every gun that was destroyed is now a massive shield to stop most impact blasts. The best part of the ork ship is the amount of damage it now can take.

At the center of the ork waaagh with the most vicious orks, he stands proud and full of might. He styles himself " _The greatest ork of orks since the great war on planet Armageddon"_. None of the other orks understand how he survived the explosion at such a close range. Some believe he was meant to do it; others believe that he should've died. This ork believes he will be the 2nd ork to answer the calls of Gork and Mork. The arms are large as they should be; the teeth are sharp like any other. The ork walks from his throne with his mechanical arm ready to clamp his next victim. He is taller than all of the orks within his area; they look to him for advice. He bellows loudly and calls his fellow chiefs around. He is ready to broadcast the message of what the battles will be like.

It says, _"We ben at dis ere planet fo as long as we can rememba. Da humie gitz dat sent us ere ar now on dis planet wit uz. It'z time fo payback now. I heed da call of Mork and Gork. Dey show me dat we'z gon kill dem and any othas da com ere. Mork tells me dat we'z ar to hit em when dey not lookin at uz, but Gork has shown me dat da time iz now. We ar to clobba everyting in sight. I say to ya orkz dat we do both. We'z hit da humies wen dey not lookin and den we kill em all."_

With his words strongly giving the orks motivation, the green horde marches out into the land and continue to slaughter and cut down anything alive. Many mek-orks begin their work as they step up shops and sharpen up weapons for war; the small parties of gretchin start slowly building more onto the shops and ork hunts. The war boss of the orks watches and roars with delight as he sees a wave of orks and nobs move out with a single purpose. An ork nob approaches his war boss.

He says, "Boss! Great One! Wha ar ya orders fo da humies wen we find em?!"

He turns to the ork and answers, "We'z gonna bleed em good, befo we kill em."

With the need of battle and blood spilling ready to begin, the orks gladly take to the land and continue to spread the name of War Boss Great Bringa. As the orks continue to lay waste to the land, a silent woman watches and reports back to her master. She uses her unnatural speed to hurry back. Upon her arrival, they all greet her with a nod of their head. The Sons of Malice stand ready and eager.

She says, "My lord, the orks will continue to ravage the land if we are not done soon. I pray that all will come to pass without his assistance."

The champion of Malice stands up and replies, "We may have more allies to our cause, but he is needed for the final piece. You may go and engage him. Draw him out into more open territory and cause him pain. See to it that the will of Malice is done."

She bows her head and turns to the territory just south of their position. She nearly smiles and thought, _"Now, I finally get to see how strong you have become since our last encounter. I hope you do not disappoint me."_

 **Chapter 9: Section 9 – 2**

The land is full of life and prosperity. Even with the threat of orks and the Sons of Malice, none would ever think that this will be the moment for the imperium to shine. The land is ripe with new resources and familiar sights. The trees near the command center bear fruit for the picking; the river near the base keeps morale high and soldiers more alert. Some look at this journey as a blessing. Many still see it as a sign of danger. In some cases, the journey out here is meant for a reason. As the imperial army keeps their defense high, small trade routes are established to keep the peace between the tau and guardsmen. Although Lucas is still unwilling to accept the idea of peaceful terms with the ethereal, he accepts the hidden agenda that Carl is under taking for him; Lucas looks over a report before turning to Carl.

He says, "Have you managed to get anything from your associate?"

Carl replies, "Unfortunately no. Suu is more focused on me than ever. She did give me her personal communication device to call her. I will head out soon and see what she will share with me about their journey out here."

After Carl takes his leave, Lina walks in. She submits her report. Before she can leave, Lucas calls to her.

She says, "I do not like the idea of you using Carl to find out more of the tau forces. They are here like us searching for something precious to them."

Lucas sharply adds, "Yes, they are after their precious cargo of people that the Sons of Malice took from them. The same Sons of Malice we are after to destroy. I don't like using him as an envoy to the tau; however, I already give them an untrusting attitude."

Lina pulls him from his desk and holds him tightly. She looks up into his eyes and kisses him softly.

She says, "Carl has been with us since the colonization of Saneesh. He is a good man just like you are; I rather he stays the same good man and helps us continue the fight for the imperium. If anything happens to him, promise me that you will remember what always comes first."

Lucas sighs heavily and answers, "By the emperor, I hate when you win me over with words of promise."

Lina smiles greatly once more and keeps her head held up high. Elsewhere, Max sends off his troops to perform their duties. He turns around to find Kayleth standing before him with a smile.

Max stops himself and says, "Hello, how are you doing Kayleth? I don't recall your need to be here with me for imperial duties."

Kayleth adds, "Yes, the duties of an imperial leader never end for you. Even if you have my attention and…my focus. You wanted to speak early. I have time if you desire it."

Max tries to rush upon her with a hug. Instead of leaping away or fleeing, Kayleth happily accepts his offer; Max looks at her with a small look of surprise on his face.

He says, "Wait, what is this? No frightful leaps or need to pull away from me?"

She answers, "We are alone. And I am still getting use to this."

Max squeezes her tightly only to hear her gasp softly. He lets her go; they walk away from nosey eyes and onlookers.

He says, "I wanted to ask you about the eldar being out here. Lucas, Carl, Lina, and I know why we are here. They have their own reasons for wanting to poke at your purpose, but I want you to tell me why. What made your kin want to come out here?"

Kayleth sighs tremendously at the idea of sharing sensitive information with Max; she knows that by doing so everything can either change or be undone. She looks at Max with eyes of hope.

She thought, _"Do not betray me or my kin."_

Kayleth says, "When Elenwe helped your friends locate the Sons of Malice location, she found something in the warp that called to her. In secret, she needed my help. It also came at a cost. By helping your imperium, Elenwe stumbled through the warp and heard his laughter."

Max looks at her with interest, "What do you mean, _his laughter_?"

Kayleth smiles and replies, "Of all the eldar deities that existed, only three of them are alive possibly. The eldar goddess Isha is still held prisoner by the clutches of Nurgle. Though rumors of her _'rescue'_ are greatly unaware to us, we know that she fights against the foul powers that Nurgle tries to poison the galaxy with. The war goddess Khaine is shattered into a thousand pieces and rest at the heart of each craft. I am his avatar, but he still lives on and wants me to carry his message into the stars. The last one of the eldar is still hard to believe. His numbers continue to grow and more eldar join his cause. He was the only one that got away; he plans for revenge against all forces of chaos and continues to fight against Slaanesh. I can only hope that he is the one whose laughter was heard by Elenwe."

Max looks at Kayleth confused, but he gives her a small laugh, "So, who is this person or deity that Elenwe heard laughing?"

Kayleth looks to Max unsure if she should tell him. Before he can get an answer, Shelia and Elenwe appear beside her. Max backs up, but they back up even more.

Shelia says, "I hope you are not telling him why we are truly here."

Elenwe adds, "This is a private matter that doesn't involve human hands. Please, do not let him know of our true purpose."

Kayleth looks to Max with sadness; Max nods his head and understands.

Before she leaves, Kayleth answers, "His name is Cegorach. He is the last of the eldar goddess; he is the Laughing God."

With the message deliver, Kayleth leaps through a warp portal. Elenwe and Shelia follow in the same manner. With Max being left alone, he stands by and agrees that this matter is not for him to put the imperium in. He returns to the command post to find Lina and Lucas. Despite the beginning of their alliance with the tau, his close friends now work side by side.

Max says, "I am glad to see you two are now working closer again. I guess your fixed your problem with the tau."

Lucas says, "No, I still hate the tau commander and his damn ethereal. I will not allow them to get so close to us; however, I shall remember who comes first."

Lina adds, "The tau forces are a curious bunch, but they do represent a danger to us. For now, we will work with them until the Sons of Malice are gone. But, did you find out anything from the eldar when you spoke with Kayleth?"

Max smiles happily and replies, "No, they believe one of their lost craftworlds are here among the grounds of this planet. For now, we will stay away from them and hope all goes well for us."

As the three continue to go about their work, a lasrifle shatters the face of an ork. Carl leads the troops of the imperium on with glory. For each small skirmish, the ork numbers go down. A new wave approaches only to be eliminated before even being at five feet of the guardsmen. Carl looks up to see Suu and her squads joining them. Carl remembers the words of Max and Lucas. Though they remind him of why he fights for the imperium, Carl finds himself still looking at Suu with great interest. She joins him by the entrance of the small camp.

She says, "I see why you take the orks serious when you fight them. We may now have a moment to rest."

Carl objects, "I highly doubt that. The orks are relentless when it comes to war. There is no telling when they will strike back at us…"

Suu leans up against Carl with interest; he kindly puts more space between them.

She says, "If the orks come against us, I can rely on you to protect me."

She leaves him with his thoughts and goes to rally her unit. Carl looks back to see a few soldiers socializing with the tau unit. It makes him wonder what Lucas said before. The tau seeks cooperation; they seek understanding. The only issue is replacing all that everyone knows with their own way of living. Carl orders his men to keep the defense high and put his request in for more troops and tanks. He takes a few moments to update his private log away from the others.

He records: **"Today marks the third encounter with the tau forces. Fire warrior Suu of the tau shows incredible skill at fighting orks; her understanding of the enemy has quickly adapted. No additional information."**

With his mind drifting off on how she looks, Carl snaps himself back into focus and keeps his thoughts focused on what he will ask her. He turns back to see her calling to him. She is interesting and beautiful to him; Carl didn't have no problem with killing any other tau member, but she makes him pause. He comes over to ready himself to investigate her.

Suu says, "I have a few questions I want to ask you about your regiment and the leaders you know."

Carl raises an eye brow and asks, "What would you like to know?"

She replies, "What can you tell me of Lucas? How long have you known him? What kind of man is he? Where did he originally come from? Who is Lina? How did she become the _Blessed Techno Woman_? What kind of technology did she use to make your army stronger? What type of schematics does she have? How long has Max been with you? Why does everything get cold at times when he is around? What kind of man is Max? Did he always spend more time around the eldar when they are near? How effective is the alliance of men and eldar?"

He lets his jaw hang as to how he would answer the questions; Carl didn't know if he was under investigation or if she wanted to know more on how to kill them. He stumbles over his words and Suu laughs at him. She stops his answering and goes slowly.

Suu says, "Let me just start with you. Tell me of your life, Carl."

Carl breathes easy, but he keeps his guard up. He says, "Well, I was a simple colony kid until I joined up with the imperium of man to fight against xenos. I fought against the orks, the corrupt regiments, a few inhuman monsters and even your kind. There isn't much to tell. All I know is this rifle in my hands means the Emperor of Mankind is counting on me to keep humanity alive."

She smirks at him, "Well, I find your sense of justice for humanity reasonable. You think you can apply that same sense of righteousness to the Tau empire?"

He backs away from her in shock, "Are you insane or just trying to get me condemned in the eyes of the emperor?"

Suu moves closer to him and answers, "Are you saying that your emperor looks upon you with disgust for fighting for a righteous cause like ours? We only seek the same cooperation you would want. The only difference is everything you do matters to us; it will matter to me."

Carl laughs happily to block out what he just heard, "So, you are telling me that my cause for the imperium of man is unjust and not worthy of fighting for? What makes your empire worth fighting for when you seek to only just replace our faith with your own?"

She proudly answers, "The tau empire fights not just for survival but for all who are willing to lay down their life for a greater cause than what others have in mind. Your empire is fighting for its own survival. Yet, do they reward you with praise? Do they care about your deeds? Has your name gone down in history as the greatest hero? No, they did not give you any recognition of anything done for your empire; the Tau Empire fights for all who would gladly lay down their life for our belief in a galaxy free of chaos, pain, and suffering. From what I have seen, many of your great leaders only fight for their own needs and selfish wants. They would throw men like you away and look at your glorified success as a waste than let your name live on in honor among the dead. The ethereal leaders would rather you have your name added to a great wall of known heroes and fighters; they would remember why the empire has become what it is by your hands. Tell me, why would you not want to be remembered for your deeds?"

Carl takes notice to how close Suu is; he politely backs up.

He answers greatly, "The imperium of seeks to take its place at the head of the galaxy and guide more humans down the path of righteousness. We fight for not only our survival but the existence of all other humans. Were it not for xenos like the orks, necrons, or tyranid swarms, the empire of man would thrive and be holy. It is mankind's manifest destiny to drive out all forms of xeno life and achieve greatness beyond anything we will ever know. All other intelligent life-forms are only fit to receive a bullet in the head and burned to ashes. Until the last stone is cast on the last church, mankind will never truly be safe. I fight for the empire of man; my comrades fight for the imperium as well. You seek for me to betray all that I represent only for your empire to achieve victory? Ha, I would rather face a hundred-million orks and die a horrifying death than support a xeno empire."

Suu smiles at Carl for his devotion. She looks him up and down with interest; Carl backs up more and questions her reason for staring so much at him.

She says, "I admire a male human's devotion to his cause. It is a shame you will not see reason for joining us yet; however, I won't stop until I have won you over."

Carl laughs and calmly walks away. Before he can get far, he feels arms wrap around his body. He can feel her soft skin against his forearms. She smells sweet as honey; Carl pauses for a moment and asks her the reason for holding him.

Suu seductively replies, "I just wanted to know how you feel. I didn't expect you to be firm in some place."

Carl quickly forces her to loosen up her touch. He tries to back off but instead finds himself still close to her. Before anything else can happen, the radio com goes off. Carl listens to the words of ork approaching. Carl breathes easy with his mind turning into battle. Before he can urge Suu to do anything, she is already rushing to her fire warriors and ready to eliminate more orks. She calls to Carl; they hurry back to their camp to face more danger.

 **Chapter 9: Section 9 – 3**

The annoyance can't be expressed; the manner she displays is 'free-spirited'. Nothing was gained from telling him about why they are here. The advantage Max has now is knowing that his laughter called to them out into the void of space. As the eldar prep to be on their way to the far east, Shelia stands against Kayleth in a fit of disappointment. She didn't understand why the notion of informing Max was done without council; Veldoran listens to both his close kin.

Shelia says, "You are foolish to tell him of that. I see no advantage in having Max know of our affairs. Kayleth, do you not know shame in your actions? Have you no pride?"

Kayleth sharply replies, "And I suppose it is better to have lied to him or mislead him. Tell me, Autarch Shelia. What would you have us do? We are in league with the humans of the imperium; our alliance has grown stronger than ever. You want the eldar of Alaitoc to sink to manipulation? You would have them risk their lives in betraying their friends?"

She answers, "The eldar have always used others to fight the wars we can't. Now, here you dare stand against the idea. I will always use what I can to ensure the survival of our species. Unlike you, you have chosen something dangerous over doing what is right."

Kayleth tightens her fist. Instead of rage, she stares into the eyes of Shelia with no thought of answering back. Veldoran steps forward.

He says, "We can worry about that issue later. For now, Elenwe is still searching for the laughter she heard in the void. I pray none of this is a trap since our guests are certain we are here in the right area."

The eldar gather around in large numbers. As before, Shelia and Veldoran lead the group with Kayleth standing watch off to the side. It was always a fascinating sight to see a group of the Harlequins joining the eldar. They begin to share stories of their adventures outside of the major craft worlds; they whisper tales of great feats in battle. The style of their attire away leaves their enemies amazed at how well they can fight. As Shelia and Veldoran walk to the center of the dancing warriors, the lead Harlequin comes forward with a mask over her face.

She says, "I trust in your wraithseer, but the idea that you journey here with the tau and humans makes this unusual. Tell me, why did you bring them?"

Shelia replies, "They seek an enemy to destroy. There is nothing else to be gained from them. We came here once Elenwe heard his laughter…"

She interrupts, "And yet, there is two of you who heard his laughter. Even if he will not tell us, we know what he speaks of. Tell me, who else heard the laughter other than your wraithseer?"

Veldoran points into the direction of Kayleth. The Harlequins gladly move towards her direction. Kayleth turns to see the group dance around her; she is unsure yet ready. The lead Harlequin comes to Kayleth and looks upon her. Kayleth smirks to see the leader before her. With a touch on her forehead, the Harlequin all jump back as the lead gasps in shock and joy.

She says, "I see you are no longer the leader of your people; however, that does not mean things won't be over for you. I do not see how far you will go. I do see that you will be what your kin needs."

Kayleth looks at the lead Harlequin with some curiosity, but she bows and happily declines the idea.

The Harlequin dance more and more before they all begin to surround Shelia; she didn't understand why they are near her. In a display of amazement, the Harlequin fall to the soil. Every single blade points to Shelia. The lead Harlequin approaches her with a rose in her hand; she whispers softly to her the words of fate.

 _"The path is open to you; you must make the journey and return back here. We will wait for you. On the second day, you shall emerge with a new vision for your kin to carry into the void."_

Shelia didn't understand, but she accepts the idea of guiding her kin. Once her power spikes at peak condition, Elenwe joins the others and informs Shelia of what she now knows.

Elenwe says, "You are to go at this journey alone. I will open a way to you, but we are not to follow you through. I only pray that this is all done by his hands."

With Shelia nodding her head in agreement, she stands back and watches Elenwe open the portal that the harlequin have shown her. The dancing warriors move around the wraithseer. To the eldar surprise, they see the warp powers of Elenwe flash brightly and shine greatly. In mere moments, the portal opens up and the harlequin halt their dancing. Every eye of the eldar falls on Shelia as she makes her way to the portal. Veldoran assures her that all will be ready upon her return; Kayleth wishes her good fortune despite their disagreement. Shelia looks back and nods her head. The portal before her shines brightly and twists with colors; she breathes with ease and steps through with no hesitation. There is a bright light shining in her face; there is nothing to hear. Shortly, a gentle giggling is heard. Once the bright light fades away, Shelia finds herself standing on air. She looks around and doesn't see anything. Suddenly, she falls towards the bottom yet there is no surface. She starts to panic and begins to think this was a trap set by the harlequin. After falling for two minutes, she comes to a stop. Her body floats upright; there is giggling coming from a distance. She looks ahead to see a wall come at her and stop right in front of her. She touches the wall; nothing happens. Upon turning around, she finds a new wall. Shelia turns again and discover a third wall. It didn't take her too long to find herself surround by four walls and no bottom or top.

Shelia says, "I wonder what this is? There is no top or bottom; the walls are brown and thick. I am standing on solid ground yet I see clouds under and above me. What kind of trick is this?"

Before she can figure out her next move, a small portal opens before her. She passes through it without pausing. Shelia finds herself in the same area. She turns around to see that the portal is gone; she looks forwards and sees a similar portal open in front of her. Once again, she goes through it. The same result happens as before. She does it again and again only to keep coming back to the same area. And the same giggling is heard.

She roars, "I will not let you make me a fool!"

She rushes through the portal multiple times only to keep going back to the same small room over and over again. Shelia keeps up the method for an hour before she succumbs to the annoyance; she keeps on wondering what is she doing wrong. The same questions keep repeating in her mind: _How do I get out of here? Why am I trapped in the same spot? Who is laughing at me?_ She takes a moment to study the small box like space she is in. The giggling soon turns to laughter. Shelia roars loudly, but she knows that frustration won't help her. She looks forward at the portal; there are no signs or hints that tell her to do otherwise. Instead, she turns her back from the portal. To her surprise, the same portal now shows the same wall only five feet away from her. She becomes curious; the idea of going through the portal slowly fades from her mind. She turns away again and the same results happen. The same portal now shows the wall has moved back from her by another five feet.

Shelia thought, _"What kind of trick is this?"_

The laughter keeps happening, but she ignores it. She would leap through the portal if not for fear is starting over. Shelia now begins to smile; she turns to her left and places her foot on the air. Shortly, she finds herself walking up in the air on a flat surface. Instead of using her logic, she goes with whatever the path is taking her. She walks until something tells her to stop. Shelia closes her eyes and skips to the right. Suddenly, she drops down to a level and she turns to the right. She opens her eyes to see that three portals are open to her. Shelia places her foot forward and stops; she jumps high into the air and finds herself going up like a rocket. With a twist of her body, she lands on a new path yet no surface is under her feet. Instead of becoming mad, she expresses joy. She walks forward more and sees a small, thin surface showing ahead of her. She goes towards it and stops just near the edge; Shelia guides her next step to the other side of the thin piece. She continues her journey and slowly smiles. The more she stops focusing on the portals, the more the path becomes clear to her. Shelia stops letting logic, reason, or thoughts be her drive. She runs forward to discover a new portal before her. The portal is opened on the floor and there is a flat square ahead of the portal. Shelia jumps through the portal and returns back to the same spot as before. The same portal is in front of her feet and the flat square surface is ahead of it. She looks up to see there is no opening from where she came from. She looks into the portal and sees nothing; she looks at the flat thin surface with walls around it. She thinks long and hard about her next choice.

She thought, _"If I jump, I will return back here, but if I land on the surface, I know I will be at a dead end. I can't turn back knowing that the same choice will be ahead of me."_

Shelia prays to her ancestors that this is not a ruse; she leaps through the portal only to find herself again back at the same result. She looks ahead to see that the flat surface is now a squad room with only enough space for one to fit. Unsure of what will happen, she leaps towards the flat surface and enters. She turns around to find herself stuck in a box made of stone. Shelia cuts at the walls; there is no damage. Instead of using her rage and skills to get herself out, she meditates. The damn laughter is louder than before; however, she finds peace within herself. Shelia opens her eyes and stands up. With her mind no longer accepting what her eyes see, she leaps forward and finds herself standing a smooth surface. She looks back to see the box of brick faded away; she feels herself pulled up on the surface where she stands. Once high enough, the laughter is strong and powerful. Instead of being mad or wrathful, she smiles knowing what is going on. Shelia looks behind her to see that this is where she must be at. She sees large objects fold towards her. Rather than fear what is coming, she smiles and knows what is happening; she turns back to the forward view and looks up. There is no need for words of what she sees; there are no more thoughts of hatred or confusion. Shelia bows her head and takes a knee; she shuts her eyes. There is something heavy tapping her head. She knows that there is nothing to harm her. She smiles and understands. Shortly, her body floats in the air as the laughter turns to giggling again. Shelia giggles and smiles; she lets her body become loose and free.

Suddenly, a small amount of the warp surrounds her. The warp fades away; she now feels something great is happening to her. Shelia giggles and smiles. In a matter of seconds, she finds herself back on the flat surface. She can feel a pulse from the surface. It is strong and powerful. Now, she finds herself dancing on the surface. Shelia leaps in the air and twists her body; she leaps to one area and back again. Everything feels so great. Finally, a voice calls to her. The individual makes his message clear to her.

The individual says, **"Go now…go and dance a tale for the craft world. You will join her…and lead others. I give you the message for you will show them the way. Go, my harlequin. Dance a new tale for the eldar."**

Shelia opens her eyes and finds a mask on her face. She happily accepts her new role and sees that everything has to change. A portal opens up to her only; this time she sees a familiar spot. The attire she wears is of a howling banshee only with bright colors. Now, it has an alluring display. As she steps towards the portal, she looks back and smiles at who she finally sees.

She asks, "Why do you hide? Is there not something you wish for us to know?"

The individual answers, **"I may hide from the enemies of the eldar, but our time is coming. I will avenge my fallen brothers and sisters from She Who Thirst."**

With a gesture of his eyes, Shelia smiles and leaps through the portal. She finds herself back on the planet and only a few feet from the eldar. Kayleth, Veldoran and Elenwe turn to see her walk forward proud and happy. Though the harlequin gather beside her, they bow their heads at the new champion of Cegorach. Shelia wears battle armor of an amazing feature; it is much more alive than the amazing colors the others have. Shelia leaps towards her former kin and brings them news.

She says, "I left you as your Autarch of craft world Alaitoc. Now, I return to lead the harlequins of the Laughing God with you. He has shown me that the time for the eldar will be upon us soon. He desires me to be his champion until the great war is upon us. I may not be able to lead you no more, but I know someone who can."

Shelia looks to Kayleth and dances her way towards her. She takes a knee and bows her head.

Veldoran says, "I see that things will be challenging for us. And now, we need a leader who can guide us through the wars we must now face. Are you ready, Kayleth? Can you guide us again through battle?"

Uncertain thoughts and doubt build up in her mind. Kayleth looks around to see her kin are without leadership; however, she didn't feel proud to take back up her original title.

Elenwe approaches her and says, "This path you take again will not be easy, but I support your decisions for us and will lend you my blade in battle."

Veldoran adds, "I once believed in you before and stood at your side. Allow me to do so again."

Kayleth raises her sword high to the sky and roars greatly.

She says, "I will lead you my kin. I shall no back down from this path and guide you all through the battles."

With the eldar now more hopeful than ever, they stand ready to face the dangers approaching them. At the imperial camp, Max continues to go over the last few reports before they begin to march out on the enemy. A portal opens up behind him. He turns and sees Kayleth stand before him with a serious look in her eyes.

Max asks, "Is everything ok?"

Kayleth replies, "I can't be with you as I am now. I have been chosen to lead the eldar again as their Autarch."

The news didn't sit well with Max. He begs her for questions; he wants to know her reasons for returning back and if she can manage it.

She says, "Max, I have to be there for my people now more than before. I am doing what's best for my kin. Now, we have a chance."

He says, "I understand that, but what about us? What about your need to be with me? I love…"

Kayleth holds a blade to him, "Do not say it. I just can't go through that pain again. I will only contact you if I have news to share with you. As I told you before, I don't want you to love me; it will end poorly for you."

Before he can ask her for any reasons, Kayleth leaps through her portal and turns off her heart from Max.

 **Chapter 9: Section 9 – 4**

The success against the orks are high; the doubt is never around. Not a single guardsmen or guardian of the imperium is losing anyone ever again. In the front line leading them, Lucas orders his men to fight off the green skin horde. He urges his companies to not let up on fire power. The guardsmen and guardians hammer away with rounds of shells from their tanks; they obliterate the mobs of orks with lasrifle waves. In the thick of battle, Lucas leads his men to victory.

He cries, "Men! The orks are beaten for now, but they shall return! Let's make sure they only continue to find no victory here!"

The cheers and roar of the imperial army ring loudly. Lucas takes the moment to look for Max among the troops; he finds him issuing out his last few orders to the troops.

Lucas asks, "Max, how is your front looking? I noticed the eldar didn't show up to help us."

Max replies, "We didn't lose a single soldier today. A handful of ork nobs tried to overcome us with a few small methods, but they didn't prove useful. As for the eldar, you already know. They have their ways of telling us when they want to inform us. As far as I am concerned, they are off to do their own personal battles without us being notified of."

Lucas nods his head in agreement, but he adds, "Has Kayleth told you anything new or recent?

He harshly replies, "Their commander has refused to give me any more insight. Since she became the Autarch again, everything became a need-to-not-know basis. So, we won't probably hear from them again unless it helps or benefits their agenda."

Lucas takes notices to how Max replies; he gives him his peace and returns back to helping the guardsmen get organized. Shortly, Carl comes to Max with news and updates.

He says, "Noble One, I haven't been able to obtain what I need from the tau yet. They are pretty open about everything that brought them out here; however, everything is still the same. Is there anything else you can suggest we try?"

Max replies, "If their objective is still the same, we will leave them be. Either way, once we have stopped the Sons of Malice, then we can deal with them afterwards. Get your teams ready, I have a feeling the orks are ready to come at us with everything."

As the imperial army prep for the next ork invasion, a radio contact comes to the imperial base. Lucas, Carl, and Max all join Linda in the command center. They open a channel to the contact. It is from the Tau forces.

Suu-Riah-Lu of the fire warriors broadcast: **"The orks are pushing in on our base. We humbly request your aid against them. Can you assist?"**

Lucas replies, "We have our own hands tied up with the last ork assault. We won't be much help to you."

Aun El Rai takes over the com channel and replies, "If you can't help us, then please send us what you can. We only need a little more time before we will use our greatest warriors."

The com channel goes dead. With the final words, Lucas looks to Carl.

He asks, "How much of the companies do you need?"

Carl replies, "All I need is two battle tanks, two artillery cannons, and only three companies. If they are going to use anything, we need to see it in action."

Lucas grants his request. As Carl organizes his small army, he urges the need for them to only fight the orks and get out. The less time spent with the tau, the chances of xeno influence will still be low. Once his army is ready, Carl marches his company towards the tau area. The journey didn't take too long before they arrive in sight to see the tau hold back the orks. Every area in front of the tau fortress is a blood bath; Carl orders his troops to land the shuttles just within the tau military air field; in fact, the tau fire warriors greet their allies with so much excitement. Carl didn't know if they were happy to see reinforcements arrive or happy to see them. As the guardsmen come off, they are quickly greeted and begged for assistance. Carl steps off to see Suu waiting for him; he tries not to laugh, but he greets her accordingly.

He says, "It seems we arrived just in time to help you with the ork problem. My superiors are still getting things in order at the fortress, so they send me…"

Suu squeezes Carl tightly and says, "I am glad they sent you. Now, we can stop the orks together."

As she tries to get closer to him, Carl reminds her of the need to stop the ork advances.

She says, "The orks have been at us the most ever since we claimed this land for ourselves. Shas'O Kais is at the front with the fire teams and stealth teams keeping the orks back. We would have moved forward, but we having been dealing with more of them as they come with every wave. I hope you brought enough to push them back."

Carl radios his artillery and tank squads; they radio back to him with an ETA. Carl and Suu head to the front lines to find Shas'O Kais pouring on heavy rounds of pulse blast, rockets, and additional fire power to keep the orks back. Once the last wave dies down, Suu reports to him.

Kais turns to them both, "I see that the imperial forces are eager to help us. They sent us one of their best. How long before your heavy units are here? I can only keep the ork looter tanks back when they don't send three at a time."

He says, "Their ETA is only ten to twenty minutes. For now, I brought you more heavy firing squads that will cripple the ork tanks. Where can they set up at?"

In moments, the imperial army of Carl find themselves among the tau fire teams and stealth groups; Carl looks around and prays none of his soldiers socialize with the tau so much. He feels a pull at his arm and Suu begs for him to join her at the front of the camp with some of his imperial guardians. As they all get ready for the next wave of orks, Suu looks to Carl with eyes of curiosity. Instead of focusing on her, he turns his sight to the roaring sound of the orks advancing on them. He orders his men to lock and load; the orks rush the front line. The imperial army and tau army open fire as the orks use their dead for cover. Carl gasps at the sight of the orks marching in giant waves. Once the orks are too many, Carl fires a signal flare for his next team of guardsmen to come in. High above the sky, they each land on the ground hard and eliminate two to five orks before flying off into the sky; the tactic works nicely until three jetpack members are killed by ork tanks. Shas'O Kais joins the battle and targets the tanks with heavy shots to the armor. As he focuses on two tanks, the third ork tank rolls in. Carl pulls out his next flare gun; he fires it to the sky. The teams under his command unleash heavy shell shots at the ork tank. With the orks backing off, everything now feels too easy. Carl and his men take a moment to reload and get ready.

As he pulls away from the front line, Carl finds Suu following him closely. He questions her need to follow him when he must see to his men.

She says, "I am fully aware that you must do your duty, but I wanted to see you more since we met. It is a shame I can't spend more time with when we are at war with orks."

Carl nearly laughs, but he keeps his mind on the orks, "There will be plenty of time for us to compare notes on what the orks are up to. Now, I need to let my leaders know the situation here."

As Suu takes her leave, Carl nearly forgot about his own mission to the imperial.

He calls to Suu, "If you are not too busy with the orks, shall we both go on a scout when we can?"

Carl didn't think his words would strike her interest, but she happily accepts his offer. After enough time passes, the orks try again to attack the front. They fail once more; Carl may have been keeping his mind focused on the orks; however, the real concern is making sure the soldiers didn't want to stay around the tau so much. After twelve minutes go by, the tanks and artillery unit arrive; they set up camp and wait for incoming orks. Shortly, the same method is applied by the orks. They rush the defenders only to be overpowered easily. The guardsmen cheer for their easy win; the tau gladly expresses their gratitude for the assist. Once the orks stop coming, the defenses are improved on. The guardsmen retire back to their shuttles only to have the tau accompany them. Carl meets with Shas'O Kais; they shake hands.

Kais says, "I am grateful that you helped us despite how your Lord General Lucas is towards us. We only seek to win this war and spread peace."

Carl replies, "You will have to forgive him for being hasty. He did come across some of you before; I don't know all the details, but it was pretty bad. If things go well for us all here, we won't inform our high command that we ever encountered you."

Kais requests, "Suu-Riah-Lu is going ahead with her company to investigate the ork sights they have been reporting from. She was hoping you would still join her."

He says, "But of course, commander Shas'O Kais. I did promise her that we will eliminate any ork groups on a scout. I leave my men to safe guard your base should the orks come. For now, she and I will head out. She will report anything to you."

Carl takes his able body soldiers with him; he finds Suu at the front entrance waiting for him. The pair go off into the distance land and beginning looking for orks to kill. Carl occasionally looks back to see his soldiers and the tau fighters talk. They share stories of near-death experiences to battling hordes of the unknown; he wants to break up their chatter, but most of the talking is small and unimportant. Once they are out far enough, they all take a break. Tau warriors offer water and food to the imperial guardians and guardsmen. Carl moves further ahead and takes a moment to himself.

He thought, _"I wonder what great weapon is the Tau hiding?"_

He stops thinking only to feel Suu pull at his arm and whisper to him the news.

Suu says, "Our great ethereal Aun El Rai is close having his greatest warriors. Once they are ready, we will be able to help your people win this war against Malice."

Carl asks, "What is his great warriors?"

Suu blinks her eyes at Carl with seductive looks; he leans back a little and continues to press her for the answer.

She says, "I will show you once it is time. And you still have not told me more of yourself. I want to know you."

Carl looks back at his life and didn't know where to begin. Even though he knows what Suu is doing, he decides to tell her of his battles. He tries to think of a good story, but none come to him. As time went on, Carl finds himself relaxed around Suu with no trouble or thought coming to mind. Once enough time went by, Suu receives a call from the ethereal. It is time. Suu jumps for joy; she begs Carl to come back to the base and witness a miracle. They both gather up their scouting parties and march back quickly. Upon their arrival at base, the tau army seems overly excited; Carl excuses himself off to the side and reports back to Lucas.

He radios him, "The tau has something going on here; they suspect nothing of us, but I will send my teams back. I shall go at this alone and report to you when I can."

Lucas reminds him, "Make sure that you are not staying too long there. After you have what you need, come back quickly."

Carl joins Suu near the crowds of fire warriors. He did all that he can to record any information on what is happening. At the front of the crowds, Shas'O Kais stands ready and willing. From his side, Aun El Rai takes to the front and gives the tau military and civilian a speech of promise.

Aun El Rai says, "People of the tau, this is the day we have waited for. We have suffered much since our journey out here. Though the enemies of the tau continue to resist our _"Greater Good'_ method, we will not stop. We shall not give up; the time for us has come to rise up and claim what is ours. We will triumph and achieve victory. The loss of our precious cargo is great, but we have only three of them that remain. They shall be the turning point for us; they shall battle for us. This is the day the Tau shall achieve more than just new additions to our army. This is the day we stand more than ready."

Carl didn't understand what did Aun El Rai mean. He looks around to see Suu excited; many tau warriors remove their helmets. Kroot warriors roar with joy. Carl looks around and hears a noise. He looks to the stage and finds three large capsules; the capsules look familiar to him. Carl turns to Suu for questions.

He asks, "Where did your people find these large capsules at? They seem similar from somewhere."

Suu turns to Carl with a smile, "We found them floating in space after they were attacked by the Sons of Malice. Why do you ask?"

The capsules make a loud hissing noise as they open up. Carl looks on with interest; he didn't know what would come from these massive capsules. They step out from their chambers; they stretch their body and look to the crowd in front of them. Despite the fact that only three are left, the sight of them sent chills down his spine. Carl can't believe what he sees. They stand taller than the ethereal. Each one is at the height of Shas'O Kais; the very symbol of each one is clear in his eyes. Carl still can't believe his own eye sight. He rushes from the crowds of the tau.

He cries, "By the Emperor, how is this possible? How did this happen?"

Suu looks around to see that Carl has left. She goes to find him as Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais welcome their new addition to the tau empire.

Aun El Rai says, "I look forward to seeing you in battle. We did all that we could to keep you alive. Now we must make sure you would be able to fight for us."

Shas'O Kais adds, "I am the commander of the tau military. Please, do what you can to keep our ethereal safe."

One steps forward and replies, "For the greater good, we shall stop all that harms you."

As the Tau celebrate their new warriors, the eldar stand powerful and mighty. Carl rushes back to his shuttle to bring the news of what has happened. Suu lost him only to look up and see an imperial shuttle fly off to the imperial area; she wonders what could have caused him to leave at such an amazing time.

 **Chapter 9: Section 9 – 5**

There are no words to express the annoyance and shock. The words are painful as they are hurtful; it is impossible to accept let alone believe that such a sight came to them like this. In the report as Carl wrote, each word speaks of blasphemy as Lucas, Max, and Lina read over it:

 _"At the time, I find these capsule highly unusual yet somehow man-made. The markings on them were hidden. At a glance, you can easily mistake them for being xeno design; however, a closer inspection was not needed when what was inside steps out. It was bad enough that there are three. The thought of seeing an entire company under their command is frightening. They are to be the best of humanity; they are the defenders of man. Now, the tau empire has three of them fighting for their_ _ **'Great Good'**_ _ideology. If we stand against them, the result will be devastating. To stand against a single space marine is bad. To fight against three space marines is worse. I pray that this will end in victory for us should they turn their weapons against us."_

Lucas refuses to accept the report Carl gave; Max and Lina question him.

Carl replies, "I know what I saw. They were space marines that support and fight for the Tau empire. I…I am still in shock of it too."

Max says, "I wonder why would space marines be in the empire of the Tau. There must be a good reason as to how they got them."

Lucas says, "There is no good reason. The tau had their own plans for capturing them; they twisted their will and used what they believe in against them to make them see differently. I won't stand for this."

Lina adds, "If what you say is true, then the tau forces are now a threat to us. We must find out how this all happen."

Before any more debating continues, a soldier comes running in and reports to them. The news of what they hear shocks them into action. Max, Lucas, Lina, and Carl all gather their weapons and gear up; they rush for the front of their base. Once there, they find a very shocking surprise. Aun El Rai, Shas'O Kais, Suu-Riah-Lu, and three space marines standing ready to attack them. The imperial guardians reach for their weapon and aim; they stand ready to fire as the tau guards of the ethereal circle around him. Lucas grinds his teeth in rage; Lina stand firm and ready to employ her weapons. Carl and Max go to greet their xeno allies. The need for an explanation is high in demand.

Max says, "So, this is your real prize? You wanted our help to recover three space marines and turn on us after you bring them out? Tell me this is not your real plan?"

El Rai replies, "We only managed to recover three. The majority of them were destroyed and not on the planet. I was advised not to tell you of this due to _'certain'_ people that will look at this as a problem."

Carl steps forward, "Oh, but it is a problem. You convinced three space marines to join your cause and turn from the Emperor's light. They may not be Sons of Malice or followers of chaos, but this is too much. How did you even recover them?"

Shas'O Kais answers, "On our way here, we discovered them under attack by the Sons of Malice. Most of their kind was already dead. The last few manage to get away only to encounter us. We offered them safety; they provided us the fire power we needed to repel any intruders that did come after us when we came here. If we had told you about them sooner, would you have trusted us?"

Before another word is spoke, a space marine steps forward. He wears the brand of a tech marine. Lucas rubs his eyes to make sure he is not seeing things; Lina tightens her fist and rushes from his side. She screams bloody murder and fires a blast at the tech marine. The tech marine activates his shield and stops her incoming fire. Max and Carl stop her only to hear her words of accusation.

She roars, "Damn you! You turn your back on humanity and swear allegiance to them?! You disgrace the Machine God!"

The tech marine replies, "I fight only to seek more knowledge and ways to defeat the enemies of mankind and of tau. I know where my loyalty lies at. Where does your loyalty lie at?"

Lucas comes over to calm her down; Lina still wants to shoot the tech marine in the head. To see him and the others stand proudly with the tau forces insults her and Lucas.

He says, "As far as I am concern, you are now trespassing on imperial soil. We will let you go in peace, but do not ever come here again. Your army isn't welcome here."

Lucas, Lina and Max return back to their base. Suu looks at Carl with hopeful eyes.

She says, "I hope this does not cause trouble for us in the future we are planning."

Carl spits at the ground and says, "There is no future that involves me or you. Your kind stole from the imperium of man. Now, they fight for you. This insult is too deep; I don't know how you did this, but there will be a day of reckoning. Take your leave and do not disturb me again."

She tries to speak to him, but Carl warns Suu of stepping over her boundaries. Suu nods her head and leaves from him. With the Tau now standing ready and willing to assist, the imperial army stands unsure and wrathful. Max keeps to his own quarters as Lina and Lucas urge everyone to be alert and ready for any sign of attacks from the Tau; Carl does what he can to keep the others ready for the next wave of trouble that comes to them. As the tau march back to their base, Shas'O Kais shares a moment with Suu.

He says, "I see your liking to the human Carl has not been as promising. Did you make him the same offer as the one before you?"

Suu replies, "Yes, and I was slightly forceful with it. I may not have been assign to be joined with someone, but I will give my best to the tau regardless."

Kais asks, "Your devotion is appreciated; we must make sure your particular trait continues in future offspring, but you do have me curious. Out of all the other fire warriors, why would you pick him? Have you not suffered enough by the hands of a human?"

She happily answers, "When you found me chained up and in pain from the humans that tortured me, I still believed in them. I always did believe that there is one among them all that will take me as I am. For now, I shall try a different method since things are not as they should be. If all goes well, there will be harmony between us and the humans."

With the tau marching back to their base, they soon discover a tragedy being transmitted to them by radio.

A tau warrior says, "The enemy is here! Orks are pushing in…"

The tau forces speed up their return only to find the Great Spear ship floating above their head. Aun El Rai is brought aboard the ship as fast as possible; Kais and Suu direct their forces ground side to combat the orks. El Rai comes to one of his operators and views the report. It is shocking to him.

He says, "I see. So, the green horde has somehow destroyed our base and forced our people to retreat. I see retaking the position will not be possible no time too soon; we will fall back and rally to the humans."

El Rai sends the message for all to retreat to the imperial area; Kais disagrees with the course of action due to the possible hostility towards the tau.

Suu interrupts, "Commander, we right now have no choice. The orks overwhelmed our base and destroyed everything. If we can, I will do what I must to secure our future."

As fast as the Tau begin to journey back to the humans, they receive the incoming call from the Aun El Rai. Max, Lucas, Lina, and Carl open a channel to the tau and hear their words. Lina is still infuriated; Lucas wants them to die from the orks. Max is willing to offer the tau a chance, but Carl surprises them all.

Carl says, "Aun El Rai, you step near imperial area controlled by us; the orks do present a threat to us. Bring your ship back to the base and have your ground forces meet with us. We will stop the orks together."

When the communication is over, Lucas and Lina turn to Carl with questions.

Lucas asks, "So, why are we parleying with the Tau? I thought we all agreed to not let them return here. Why are you inviting the traitorous fiends back?"

Lina adds, "They have space marines. So, I say let them fight their own battle. We don't need anymore contact from the tau army."

Carl smiles and answers, "You both are wrong. If we do not help them, where else can we use additional fire power to exterminate the enemy? Instead of letting them die, let us use their power to stop the orks and benefit from it. We may be able to find more additional ways to cripple them or allow them to be used up until we can kill them."

Lina and Lucas look at Carl with some suspicion.

Max says, "You must have picked up some ideas from the eldar to want to do that. Either way, if they come here, the orks will follow them. We may as well mount a strong defense with them."

They all agree on the idea; Carl radios the tau ship operators on where to go. The ground forces arrive within five minutes. Carl arrives at the entrance with his company ready to fight. Once the tau forces get near the base, they set small traps along the way. The powerful roaring sound is heard miles out from the base. Max and Lucas join Carl at the front; they are greeted by Shas'O Kais. Aun El Rai joins them on the surface to discuss the plans.

Shas'O says, "Stealth teams are hidden around your base for additional protection. I don't see how effective we will be if the orks are coming in large mobs."

Carl proudly replies, "You all ran to us for help. Now, let me show you why the imperium of man will easily beat them back."

Aun El Rai adds, "This is not a competition of who is better. We must work together to stop the enemy."

Lucas agrees, "We are only doing this to stop the orks. Once they are dead, you are to find a new spot for yourself to stay at. The enemy will be here soon. So, let's just give them a fight they won't forget."

The roar of the orks becomes louder and closer. Max, Lucas, and Shas'O Kais set up their teams. Carl takes his unit to the front and finds Suu standing there ready. He pays her no mind until she sees him.

She says, "You are a pleasant sight to see. I knew you would help us."

Carl quickly adds, "We are only helping you push them back. Once this is over, you are on your own."

Suu happily smiles as Carl stays focused on the orks coming.

She whispers, "If we stop the orks, I will require more of your time."

Before any more questions can be raised, the orks close in for a fight. As the tau fire warriors and imperial guardians stand ready, the all hear the single word to shatter the sky. The large mobs of ork nobs come rushing at them; the first wave of gun fire shatters the orks yet more keep coming. The battle tanks fire at the mobs and send them flying; once the orks are close enough, packs of ogryns and kroot warriors leap in for melee combat. Before any more mobs gather in strength, the flickering sound of the eldar startles them. The orks get flanked from the sides by the harlequin, warp spiders, and howling banshees; Max and the others move in the join the battle. The triple threat against the orks forces them all to fall back. Once the field is cleared, Max finds Kayleth among her kin. She is beautiful and deadly; her striking feature leave Max gazing; however, he turns off his heart from her knowing the pain won't leave him. As the orks die by the many and fall to the soil, the trio of order reform their army. Lucas, Max, and Carl instruct their soldiers while Lina sends out tech teams to gather more materials. Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais gather up their fire warriors to retreat from the surface. Kayleth and her kin disappear as fast as they arrive. Once the factions are done, each leader gathers together for council among their own.

Kayleth says, "These orks are annoying as before when they followed Bone Snappa; we may have to rely on other means to get what we need done."

Veldoran adds, "If we are to use the humans again, then we must be willing to share their burden with them. Anything less will trigger a negative reaction."

As the eldar look deep into their battle plans, the imperial forces stand on uneven ground.

Lucas says, "It has been a while since the eldar have shown up to help us. Now, we can probably end this ork problem before it gets out of hand. We may need more intel on the tau and their _'new soldiers'_ if we are to ever take the fight to them."

Max replies, "The tau are seeking our help. Like Carl said, we will use them for now until we can find a way to defeat them."

Not too far from the imperial camp, the Great Spear tau ship floats calmly with Aun El Rai and Shas'O Kais speaking of their next plans.

Aun El Rai rubs his head, "The orks must have found a way to bypass our defenses. If we can, we will do what we must to halt the enemy until we find a safe territory to settle."

Shas'O Kais suggests, "Our stealth teams are still on the ground with many fire warriors. The majority of our people and military can stay on the ship until things are much smoother."

With everyone on edge or feeling untrustworthy towards their new and old allies, the forces of order wait for the orks to make their next move. Far into the distance land, she watches from afar; she smiles at the success of what the orks have done. The orks may not have become a part of the plan, but the beauty of the destruction they leave behind makes her all the happier.

She thought, _"Now that they are less willing to help each other, I will strike at him now before anything else can happen. He must be ready; Malice will not tolerate any delays. It is time for the next phase to begin."_

With just a wave of her hand, she sends a powerful yet silent noise into the imperial camp. The noise is completely quiet yet only one person can hear it. Max rubs his head and looks around his surroundings. There is nothing there; the noise is irritating. Max gathers up his gear and heads out into the night. He checks his area to make sure he won't be followed. The noise calls to him from the distance landscape. Someone is making the noise yet no one else hears it.

Max thought, _"Where is it coming from? I have to find it."_

 **(To all who are still here and reading up on Dawn of War: Destiny War & Fateful Journey, I will be doing more editing to both stories. Sorry if this got added late, but I will make changes to it and the last few chapters. Hopefully, I will still leave enough intriguing moments in the story for you with not so much obvious or dull details. Either way, keep on reading and enjoy the story.)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**

" _Every event causes a person to question their resolve. Once the questions start, the possibilities are endless. Some questions lead to damnation and others can reveal much of one's character. The more questions are asked, the more an individual will want to know if he or she seeks knowledge."_

 **Chapter 10: Section 10 – 1**

The noise is low yet irritating; it is not heard by anyone else. From the plains of an open field, it only can be heard by one person. He travels alone with the noise calling to him. With everyone else occupied by the issues of the Tau forces, there would be no time for him to bring any help. Max moves through the open plains and runs by open the damage left behind from the last ork encounter. He goes forth to with his awareness ready; he encounters orks along the journey and easily slays them all. Nearly two hours go by before he comes to the main source of where the noise is coming from. He looks around to see no sign of life. It is an open field with grass up to his shins. Max uses his eyes to see what he could, but there is nothing.

He thought, _"Where the hell is that noise coming from?"_

He turns around to go back only to hear a piece of wood snap. The stick breaks easily under the heel of the person approaching him. Max whirls around and sees her again; she walks over calmly and looks upon him with interest. He pulls out his gun and sword. Instead of fighting immediately, she puts up her hand.

The woman says, "I am not here to fight you."

Max replies, "If you are not here to fight, then you came only to die here. Your masters and followers must not be allowed to live."

He tries to strike at her, but she easily moves from his reach. Max tries again only to see her move with the speed of an eldar warrior. Instead of the direct approach, Max lets his blank powers expand around the area. She slowly smiles before attacking him. Max dodges her punches and kicks; he rolls from her reach only to feel a fist collide into his stomach. The pain sends him flying backwards into the ground. Max stands back on his feet and urges her to try again.

She says, "I see you are not so weak. You…are…stronger…than…before."

Max questions her, "What are you rambling on about? What do you speak of?"

In a display of power, the woman uses her own blank abilities to stretch. Max didn't understand what happen, but he feels the warp now circle the area. He quickly questions her.

She answers, "I am like you. I am a blank. The only difference is I was joined together by a daemon of the warp. The creature suffered greatly before his powers became my own. Now, I can destroy any warp being with ease no matter how mighty it is. The only problem I face is you."

Max keeps his guard up, "If you are so strong, why do you serve Malice?"

She smirks and replies, "Malice how shown me how the galaxy needs to end. It must end with the death of his brothers and the Emperor of mankind. Only after the others are gone can the rest be done. I serve him to see that his will be done; you are the only problem he can use to his advantage if you join us. If not, then you represent a threat to his plans and followers. So, why don't you show me just how strong you really are. It has been my desire to see what you are truly capable of."

He looks at her with confusion, but Max remains ready. He checks around him to see if anything will come from the ground. She assures him that they are alone and this is only her doing. Max growls at her attempts to draw him out; he lets his abilities and power stretch as far as he can. The void feeling is massive and sends out the cold feeling. At the eldar base, every single eldar feels the void from Max. It causes them to shudder and feel violated; the cold feeling sends a terrible sensation down their back. Veldoran, Shelia, Kayleth, and Elenwe look in the direction the void comes from.

Veldoran says, "No, that can't be it. How did he get stronger?"

Elenwe puts up a warp barrier around the eldar base only to shriek, "I can barely hold the barrier up!"

Shelia offers her own warp power to enhance the barrier, but it proves too much of a strain on her mind; Kayleth sees her kin in danger and leaps through a portal. Upon her exit from the portal, she lands just a mile from where the source of the void is at. It pains her greatly, but she knows that Max is killing them slowly. She rushes over as fast as she can and endures the pain. Unexpectedly, the void feeling disappears. Max continues to show how strong he has become. Suddenly, he sees the woman smiles with so much happiness. He didn't let his guard down once and waits to see what she does. She shakes with delight and moans softly.

She says, "You are truly amazing. I may be strong, but that was incredible. You are more than just a threat to Malice. You are a threat to everyone; I'm surprise you didn't rise up against the imperium itself and obliterated that empire off the galaxy. I take it your training has been self-taught?"

Max lowers his guard a little, "I had help from the eldar on how to control it to a degree; it has only grown stronger since our last encounter when you took her from me. I will not offer you any chances to draw this out. Flee back to your masters and tell them I will stop their plans. Let Malice know that I will come to end his reign of terror."

She stops smiling only to raise up her weapons, "You are truly a fool to take their side. I would follow you if only you didn't allow her to lead you astray."

Having just spoken, Kayleth leaps at her with a strike. She easily blocks it and forces her to slide backwards.

Kayleth says, "I see you are still trying to speak with Max privately. Why don't you share your words with me as well?"

The lady walks to the side and remains ready to strike, "You would do well to keep your rage in check. The last time you tried to stand against me was your mistake. I only allow you to live because I want him to be your demise. So, you had best kill him than fight me. If he taps into his full power, you and your kin will die by his hands."

Kayleth allows some of her rage to come out; the powers of Khaine burn around her. She engages the woman only to see every strike blocked. With one strong roundhouse kick, the woman sends Kayleth smashing into the soil. She moves in to strike her down; however, Max sprints towards her and manages to cut her arm. The woman leaps back and looks at the wound. It bleeds slowly as she tries to heal. Instead of rage, she smiles at Max.

She says, "I will remember this wound you caused me. The next time we meet, you will bleed."

A warp cloud appears behind her back. She steps backwards and disappears from the area. Max lowers his guard and turns to face Kayleth. She slams her fist against his face.

Max grabs his face, "What are you doing?"

Kayleth answers, "You put my kin at risk by displaying your power. If you are truly going to kill her, then do so without endangering us."

The void slowly comes out; Kayleth holds her ground only to see Max's wrath come out.

He says, "You had better not strike at me again. I may accept your choices to not tell me everything, but you can die like her if you raise your hand against me again."

As fearful as she was, Kayleth does her best to not anger Max. He walks away from her with his powers contained. Kayleth stands still only to call to him.

"What did she want? Surely, you must have learned something from her," she asked.

Max didn't reply nor did he give her an answer. Before he gets too far from her, Kayleth blocks his path from walking. He looks up into her eyes to see annoyance.

Kayleth says, "I asked you a question. I demand that you…"

Before she finishes her words, Max surprises her with a strong grip on her arm and allows his powers to shoot out. The force catches Kayleth off guard and weakens her enough for him to easily overpower her. The void of Max's powers isn't stretching, but it surrounds them both.

He roars, "I am not here to provide you with answers when you are uneducated or need them. So, remember this next time you dare come across my path ever again. You will not approach me in any manner and demand anything of me. As far as I am concern with you, the eldar are to stay away from us and the imperial base. I am not here to be subjugated by you or your kind. So, you better mind your tone Kayleth of Alaitoc."

Before she can try to raise her voice, Max backhands strongly like he did before. The memory of his first time strikes Kayleth hard. She looks back at him with eyes of fury as he lets her go. Before she can unleash her rage, she stops herself.

Max adds, "Yes, go ahead and call forth your rage and power of Khaine. I would like to see how long you will last against me before I kill you and your kin since you feel so threaten by me."

Kayleth steps back slowly releasing her situation. Max pushes her aside and walks back to his base with his powers enhancing his speed. Once out of range, Kayleth breathes and relaxes herself. A portal opens up behind her and a few eldar step forth.

One scout says, "Is everything alright? Should we…?"

Kayleth interrupts, "We shall not do anything. Gather everyone together now. The imperial guard has to be stopped before Max can do us harm."

Aboard the Great Spear ship, the Tau face their own crisis. At first, the future looks great for them. With the mightiest warriors on their side, they believed that victory is easy for them to obtain. Instead, they face a new problem. The mighty warriors are gone without a trace; the ship has crew members hurt or dead. On the surface of their new area, the tau all stand in shock of what has happen. Aun El Rai is being patched up. The wounds he suffers are great, but not life threatening. In their moment of safety, the great commander feels he made a critical mistake.

Shas'O Kais says, "I will spare no one at the imperial fortress. None of them will be offered any form of surrender. Once we have secured your health, I shall go and bring you the body of the Lord General Lucas Turner. Whatever he has done with our warriors, he will answer for this before I execute him."

Aun El Rai replies, "I only ask that you handle the situation through peaceful terms if possible. If all else fails, do what you must."

As the commander begins issuing orders out, Suu looks up to the sky and whispers words of protection.

She thought, _"Please, do not let my Carl die from defending his own. I wish to see him again."_

As the tau army moves toward the imperial fortress, Suu speaks with Shas'O Kais.

Suu says, "If we are to fight the imperial forces for taking our warriors, then allow me to find out if there is any truth to it."

As much as Kais did not want to agree to the terms, he allows her to get a head start before the army arrives at the fortress. Suu hurries to the fortress with all haste; she didn't want to accept that the imperial army is attacking them. Above all, she knows that Carl and his leaders would not do something so vicious to them. With Aun El Rai down and the mighty warriors missing, too many reasons point at the imperial army. All that can be done is prevent a war from breaking out and sort out the issues. Suu recalls the words of Shas'O Kais and Aun El Rai; her commander wants no mercy to be grant, yet the ethereal still desires peace to come before battle. As she hurries pass ork parties, tall grass, and fallen trees, her last few thoughts that go through her are of him.

Suu thought, _"Please, hear my words Carl. I know that you will not betray me."_

 **Chapter 10: Section 10 – 2**

The sound of the hammer crushes the metal and iron. It continues to hammer the metal into a flat surface and reshapes the metal into something new. Though the technology can easily give it a new look, the ways of creating a knife by hot coals never gets old. As the patrols continue to keep a watchful eye, the center of the base is active with orders, military drills, resource analyzing, and technology. Max keeps his men active with their patrols and makes each person able to shoot off a flare when the time comes; in fact, he joins many groups out on patrol around the edges of the base. From the killing off the small ork groups to bringing back resources, Max keeps the morale high and orders everyone to always be ready for an unexpected surprise. Lucas reminds and educates each soldier that the imperium is strong when the imperial guard is at its best; he gives the troops speeches and stories of valor, honor, and duty when in the face of evil.

He says, "The imperium may have the space marines to defend humanity, but it is the guardsmen and guardians that will win the day. War comes to us all in many shapes and we will face it with nerves of steel. If any time our day comes when death is in front of us, then let us face it as men and be unafraid of the grave."

As the troops keep their minds focused, the tech teams and tech-priests continue to modify and improve where they can. They keep the base improvements going each day with the resources they recover. Lina smiles at the success and output each skitarii shows with their weapon; the tech-priests also show great understanding as the others show more willingness to use every piece of scrap present. Lina keeps her mind busy with assisting where she can, but all is well without any help needed from her. Out at one of the barracks near the front, Carl looks over the reports and smiles. He lets each detail of success give him honor. As he submits the papers, he notices a small light on his wrist. Carl recognizes the communication device given to him from Suu. He thought about smashing it; however, he sees an opportunity for him to gather intel. Whatever the reason for the device to be alerting him, he decides to advance the imperium of man. Carl gives out his last few orders to the soldiers and goes to seek out Suu.

The journey to her is a long one, but Carl keeps his mind focused on what he will gain.

Carl tries to radio back to base, but all he receives is static. He keeps going forward and makes sure no one is following him. The idea of back-up would have been nice, but he may frighten off his target. Once Carl is far enough from the base, he comes to a stop in the middle of the field and wonders where she is. He looks to the forest just ahead of him; he sees no movement until a small light flashes from it. With no idea of why Suu is being so secretive, he goes further towards the trees to meet with her. After he arrives, Carl calls to her.

He says, "You can come out now, Suu. It is just me."

She steps from one of the trees and tries her best to not smile. A kroot warrior joins her and nearly threatens Carl until she dismisses the warrior.

Suu says, "I must speak with you. It is important."

Carl replies, "If you wanted to talk, why not just use your personal communicator that you gave me?"

She looks at him with worried eyes; Carl wonders what is wrong with her. Suu begins to breathe nervously and tries to not over step her bounds.

Suu lashes forward and grabs his hands, "Please, tell me your leaders didn't order you to do it?"

Carl raises an eye brow and replies, "Did what? What has you so caught up and nervous?"

She repeats, "Please, tell me your leaders didn't order you to attempt to assassinate our ethereal Aun El Rai?"

He backs up at such an accusation as she continues, "Long after we pushed back the orks and left from your fortress, we believed we were secure until something happen. During the battle of the orks, we noticed our space marines gone. Then, we found a suitable place to set up our new base. Before we continued any more, a sudden attempt on the ethereal was made. We at first thought the Sons of Malice did it, but it turns out the assassin left behind a clue that points to you. I came here under a banner of peace to see if you can tell me anything before my commander commences with his attack on your base. So, please Carl. I want you to prove him wrong before I have to pick a side."

Carl scratches his head, but agrees that something is wrong. With no other thoughts coming to him, he believes her story to a degree.

He asks, "If your commander believes that we are the bad guys here, then why come here? Why does he show up to attack us?"

Suu presses against him and answers, "Because I don't believe for a second you would do this to us."

As much as he wants to back away and kill the tau xeno, Carl finds himself willing to risk the danger at such a story. Carl agrees to convince his leaders to stand down and meet on open ground to discuss this open threat. With his word to bring peace given, Carl heads back to the base. Before he gets far, he feels arms wrap around his body. The sensation of how he feels causes Suu to feel at ease.

He says, "What are you doing, Suu?"

She happily replies, "I wanted to do that before you go. I will go and speak with my commander and tell him to hold off."

Suu lets him go only to see Carl turn around. He looks at her confused yet smiles. She turns from him to hide her blushing and happily goes away. Before Carl lets his thoughts be twisted, he hurries back to the fortress. Once he arrives, he goes to search for Lina, Max, and Lucas. He begs the three for a private chat away from the others. They all head for the command post and keep the doors shut. Upon telling them what has happen, the reaction is not what he expected.

Lucas angrily says, "So, let me make sure I am hearing you correctly. You are telling me that the Tau want to go to war with us, but Suu is convincing them to not fight us? And you don't want us to go to war with them because she believes that we are not the bad guys here? Carl, what kind of green xeno sap have you been drinking? Can't you see that this is a lie?"

Max lowers his head in disappointment, "Carl. The tau may be more honest than the eldar, but this is a ruse to convince you to believe their words. If we had really wanted to kill their leader, we would have done so from the beginning. As for us going to war against them, that is going to happen once we have taken care of Malice and his followers."

Before Lina can say anything, one of the motion detectors goes off. She says, "Someone has entered our area."

As the four rush to the location of the alarm, they witness an explosion. The base goes on full alert and everyone soldier nearby the area rallies to their call. Max and Carl arrive ahead of the groups; Lina and Lucas organize groups for putting out the fires. He steps from the flames of war with his armor still smoking. He holds his weapon proudly and shows he has not fear. Carl still didn't want to believe what Suu told him, but the answer is in front of his face. Max is ready to eliminate the space marine of the tau.

The space marine cries, "For the Greater Good! I have come on behalf of the tau to silence their enemies! You dare attack our ethereal?! I shall deliver the killing blow! Join now and be saved! Refuse my offer and die!"

Max orders his unit to fire; Carl dives for the side as the space marine begins to fire. The pulse rifle easily takes down many troops as the space marine makes sure each shot counts. As the soldiers take cover to avoid the shots, Max pulls out his sword and challenges the warrior. He lets his blank abilities expand around the area. Carl and everyone feel the cold sensation; the space marine challenges Max only to find the void coming at him. With a twist and stab motion, Max manages to stab the warrior. The space marine counters his attack with hard punch to the face. Before he can do more, the soldier keep up the barrage of fire and drive him back. Carl surprises the space marine with a back attack, but the warrior whirls around. Carl gets hit with a strong backhand from the massive super soldier. Max climbs to his feet only to hear Lucas shout at the soldier. The space marine turns to him.

Lucas says, "You will not live long enough to see your master claim victory."

The space marine charges at Lucas with his chain sword high in the air, "For the Greater Good!"

Just as the space marine is about to cut Lucas down, he is blown to the side by a power gravity cannon. The force sends the space marine crashing into the ground; the soldiers keep up the barrage of fire until the armor finally cracks. The space marine suffers from a broken leg and busted up arm. As the soldiers stand and wait, Lucas and Max approach the super soldier with nerves of rage. The space marine drops the chain sword and stands proud.

Max says, "Why are the tau attacking us?"

The soldier removes his helmet and looks upon everyone. He chuckles a few times before a sound is made; Max and Lucas order everyone to fall back and take cover. The soldier looks up to the sky and cries tears of blood.

His final words: "For the Greater Good of the…"

The space marine explodes and devastates the area; the explosive is heavy and great. Lina calls constantly to her lover and allies as much as she can. With no idea that they are dead or alive, Lina rushes from the command center and finds a mess before her medic teams and tech-teams. As she orders others to begin looking for the wounded, she goes as deep into the carnage to find Lucas. Using her tech-priests to cut away wood and move away metal, the search for them seems endless. Among the fifth pile of rubble, she finds Carl slowly being pulled up by Lucas. He worries only subside temporary until she sees a metal pip in the side of Lucas; Max is found climbing out of the rubble with only scars across his body. With no time to waste, Lina quickly tries to examine Lucas only for her to be stopped by him.

He says, "I am fine. Just pull out the damn pipe."

She looks down to see that the skin was only pierced a little at his side; Lina jerks the pipe from him only to hear him scream from the intense pain. They look over to see Max emerge from the dirt. Before any can approach him, they feel the area turn to cold. Everyone looks at him to see and know his fury is on the rise; Max looks around the area and roars in anger. His blank powers stretch again only to suddenly quiet down.

Max looks to the others, "Get everyone the help they need. I will go after the tau myself with righteous fury."

Lucas calls to his friend; Carl rushes up to stop Max from advancing.

He says, "Wait, Max. This can't be the dealings of the Tau forces. They would not attack us so blindly unless they are certain of victory."

Max replies, "How can you stand here and defend the Tau after what their strongest warriors have done to our base?"

Carl pleads, "I beg of you. Give me time to find out why they are attacking us. They must have a reason for this…"

The void comes from Max at an alarming rate; he does his best to curb his rage. The others look on with suspicion wondering if he will relax.

He turns to Lucas and Lina, "In forty-eight hours, we will march for the Tau base and reduce them to ash. They will pay for this atrocity dearly."

As Lucas agrees to the idea, he is rushed back for medical treatment. Lina does what she can to keep the rest focused on one objective and Max looks into the face of Carl; all he can see is a small glimmer of reason, doubt, and understanding. He sighs and can't believe what he is about to agree with.

Max says, "You have exactly two days to make sure the Tau didn't just order an attack on us. If something else comes up, then I will agree to stand down the army and wait to hear their side of the story. If you are not back before it happens, then there will be no mercy and no prisoners. Do you understand?"

Carl nods his head and quickly rushes off to the Tau fortress; he gathers a few soldiers to go with him. Max takes a moment to look at the rest of the base. From the dead to the wounded, his rage is nearly impossible to contain. He rushes off to find Lina and Lucas. He comes to Lucas and finds him being stitched and patched up in the medic tent. Every time the needle goes through his skin, the lets out a small groan and recalls the events of how everything went.

He says, "I guess this is what the Tau truly wanted. They were waiting for us to be too trustworthy of them before they unleash a space marine on us. I swear I will make them pay; I must get back into the fight quickly."

Max pats his shoulder and says, "In two days, they won't be alive to see our claim on this planet."

Before he goes to check on the others, Lucas presses him for more questions.

Lucas asks, "Why worry yourself with the Tau? I can handle them in two days once I healed up. You keep your mind focused on the eldar and make sure they won't launch a surprise on us. The last time you told me anything, the eldar were perfectly clear about sharing anything with us."

Max sighs and replies, "Very well. I will leave the tau to you; I just don't want to face Kayleth again. The last time we talked, I treated her badly. If we meet again, I am sure things won't be up for any form of discussion."

As the imperial army preps for war against their allies, the eldar scout in the distant land rushes back from the imperial base. The journey takes two hours to return back. Upon arrival of the eldar base, Kayleth stands anxious and ready to hear what has happened; the news of the disaster comes as no surprise to them.

Veldoran says, "It is quite interesting to know that the tau would be so bold to attack the humans. It may have been their chance to render them useless for future skirmishes."

Kayleth adds, "Whatever the reason for the tau attacking the humans, we will assist them against the foolish _mon-keigh_. Our numbers are only five hundred thousand eldar to the billions of humans that came aboard their ship. The more that die, the better our chances. Prep the war host. We shall strike before they can continue…"

Before any of the eldar can foresee the danger, an explosion occurs around their base. Many eldar warriors are slain, but each carries a spirit stone. Kayleth and Veldoran rush to the area; they rally all they can along the way. Once they arrive, Wraithseer Elenwe shouts for them to remain in cover. She holds back the usual force that comes at her in waves; Veldoran braves the danger with her only to receive shots to his body. Every shot is a small blast of warp energy; the shots cause him to collapse to the soil. Kayleth and the eldar gather around him only to see the worse is only starting.

 **Chapter 10: Section 10 – 3**

The image is in perfect view of their eyes to see; they can't believe that this is happening to them. It was no surprise that the imperial base was attacked by them, but now it is occurring at the eldar base too. Elenwe stands strong and does what she can to hold back the fury of the enemy; Veldoran is on the ground and unconscious. In her rage and fury, Kayleth sees that there is no other option for her but to fight for her kin harder than before. As the eldar pull back their wounded and the harlequin warriors prepare for battle, they all witness his power like never before. The space marine of the tau empire fires his warp-infused bolter at the enemy. Every shot has killed groups of eldar warriors. As Elenwe enhances her shield to safeguard the others, Kayleth boldly steps pass her with no fear, no restraint, and no reason to back down.

The space marine shouts, "For the tau, I will silence you all and end this madness! You will not live to see the Tau empire thrive!"

Kayleth unleashes her powers of Khaine and pulls out her sword.

She says, "You have taken your last chance at stopping us. I will slay myself."

As she advances towards the enemy, the space marine fires more shots at her. Every blast that comes to Kayleth is deflected with a powerful swing. The eldar are amazed and continue to watch her move towards her objective; the space marine empties his bolter before switching to his chain sword. The two meet and clash swords against each other. The space marine tries to lop off her head; however, Kayleth easily dodges the attack. She leaps high into the air and falls on the enemy with a strong downward slash. The warrior barely blocks her attack and feels her push down on him. Kayleth switches back to her defensive tactics and moves out of reach of the chain sword. As fast as the space marine is moving, Kayleth easily dodges and counters every attack with ease; the eldar stand amazed at how fast she is moving. They can barely keep up with her counters each time she uses them. Though the eldar look on and see Kayleth is beautiful in her attacks, only two others watch her with worry.

Shelia of the harlequin warriors leaps into battle and strikes at the space marine. With his gun dry and energy fading, the warrior leaves the area by air. He leaps into the air with his jump pack carrying him far from the enemy. Kayleth and Shelia allow the warrior to go only to see the carnage he caused to their kin. Warlocks and healers begin their work; the eldar feel sad by their lost. Kayleth stands calm and full of rage; however, she does not show it. As the eldar gather around Veldoran, they all wait to see if he will rise to his feet. The only assurance they receive is his voice of pain. It is enough to halt any ideas of war, but Kayleth is certain of what must come next.

She says, "The tau must pay for this; we cannot allow this transaction to go unanswered. I leave command to you Elenwe. See to Veldoran and the others. Once you are ready, advance on the tau forces."

Before she can disappear, Shelia says, "I understand you are holding back your rage. I hope you are focused on what must happen before you go and do something risky to your health. You are the Autarch of this war host, but do not let it blind you. You are still not as bright as you should be."

Kayleth turns to Shelia, "Do you question my choice? I go to make sure the main enemy is not moving without his allies. If I catch him alone, I will be able to end his interference should we meet the tau in battle."

Shelia replies, "You speak of Max? You may be strong, but he is stronger. I trust in your words Kayleth, but he is more dangerous than you are. Be cautious if you face him."

Kayleth agrees to do so. Once she takes her leave, Shelia goes to Elenwe and checks on Veldoran. He relaxes his powers and allows the warlocks to keep him healed and steady.

Elenwe says, "Is there a reason for why the tau attacked us? What of Kayleth? Why does she leave us to go elsewhere?"

Shelia answers, "You sense it too. She is enduring her last phase. If she goes to Max, I fear she will be tempted to relive all the emotions again. Every thought and act he did to her is giving her a strong desire. If she is strong, she will overcome it. If not, she will be that of our fallen kin."

Elenwe and Shelia look down at Veldoran. They didn't have much else to go on; the eldar continue to repair the base and heal their wounded. Kayleth takes a moment to be alone after she issues out her last orders to her kin. Shortly, she feels the terrible sensation within her body.

Kayleth thought, _"What is this? I…feel rage…I want…to hurt…"_

With a sharp gasp and low groan, she feels her body tremble with a strong sensation. The need to hurt is there and each memory is strong. In mere seconds, Kayleth relives every event from the Aurelian Crusade to the events of Saneesh. The painful times strikes at her nerves; the enraging moments when her thoughts nearly over rule her reasons come to her quick. Every moment of defeating her enemy scratches out from within her hands. She grips her weapon hard and growls greatly. Now, she sees the times when many of her kin have perished in battle. The numbers of how many have fallen replay over and over. An eldar warrior slain by an ork, the barrage of gun fire takes down a scout. A space marine cuts open a howling banshee. The need to kill them all is great; however, the worse slowly covers her mind. Kayleth now sees his face. The face of the blank brings her so much hate, want, desire, and wrath. Max Johnson of the imperium is now all that goes through her mind and thoughts. From the touching of her hand to the mark he left upon her, Kayleth can't stand it. Each nerve is now sensitive and every motion is now too strong to resist the temptation. There was so many times she wanted to slay him, but now she can't get near without feeling the void come from him. The last slap to her face causes everything to break. This was it and now everything is clear to her. Kayleth stands to her feet and looks at her hands only to feel the sensation one more time.

She thought, _"I know what I must do now. I will no longer deny myself what I truly want."_

Kayleth pulls out her sword and plunges it into the soil. With a strong twist, the area shakes around her. She looks out into the distant land and allows the power from her body to shine. The ground sends out tremors in every direction. From where she stands, the soil begins to sink in and the flames of Khaine strike out into the land. With her power now stretching out from her emotions, Kayleth pulls the sword from the ground; she roars and shrieks proudly. At the tau came, the ground tremors shake their structures. None know what is going on and what is coming. Shas'O Kais informs his troops to be ready for any attack from the orks; the ethereal continues to heal aboard the ship as everyone looks out into the landscape. They all see the flame. Suu takes a moment to look where the flame is coming. It is large and massive. Before she can do anything else, her communicator goes off. She picks it up to hear the voice of Carl.

He says, "I need your help. Meet me at these coordinates and bring only one squad."

The imperial fortress looks on to see the strong flame rise high into the sky; Lina worries as she stands with Lucas. They both know only one person is capable of pushing out a tremendous amount of warp fire.

Lina turns to her lover, "You know what he is about to do."

Lucas slowly pulls himself up and replies, "Yes…I know. He should not go, but he may be the only one to stop her."

As everyone looks on, Max knows the flame is strong. As he tries to block out any more emotion for her, he knows what must be done. He still didn't understand why Kayleth is changing her ways and becoming more distant. All that is certain is his next thought. Max orders the rest of the troops to remain on guard should the tau or eldar come. He equips himself with his gun and blade; he would fight to stop her rage. As he moves towards the area, the flame dies down. A small thought of curiosity comes to him, but Max stays ready. He continues his way over to her. In the center of the sunken area, Kayleth calms her rage and puts away her blade. The power of Khaine is strong with her once more; she takes a sit on the ground and crosses her legs. With her warp powers changing, she floats in the air and meditates on what will come to her soon. In her thoughts, nothing else would matter until she clears away the issue.

She thought, _"Come to me, Max Johnson. I will wait for you here and be ready to end your life."_

In a distant landscape with a single unit under his command, Carl waits patiently for his ally to show. The last events still leave the soldiers unrested and angry. The idea of the tau attacking them is a problem. Many believe this is just their way of thinning out the weak to make room for their new arrivals. Only a few see this as an act of war; Carl looks at the situation as something else. He truly believes that the attack from the tau is a ruse. In minutes, the soldiers turn to face the tau squad lead by Suu. She keeps her troops back and walks forward. She shows no weapon is on her nor any hidden knifes. Carl orders his men to stand ready and only shoot if they have to. He walks forward to Suu and drops his rifle down. They look upon each other and signal the others that all is well.

Suu says, "I hope you and your friends are well. I was told of the attack on your base was unexpected."

Carl grinds his teeth and replies, "So, your ethereal and commander did order the attack on the imperial fortress to be done by the space marine? Why did you attack us? What happen to peace and cooperation?"

Suu confusingly answers, "But, the space marine that nearly killed Aun El Rai was under orders of your leaders Max and Lucas."

Before the two can speak any more, a noise comes nearby. Out from the shadows of the land, Shelia of the harlequin leaps and dances before their eyes. They both back up slowly as six more harlequin warriors join her. The squads of the tau and imperium circle up around their commanding officers. Shelia looks at the two and orders her dancing warriors to stand back.

She says, "I see you two have made up your mind."

Carl raises his gun and says, "Who are you? I have not seen you before."

Suu stands close to Carl nervous; Shelia chuckles a little and reveals her face to them.

Carl replies, "Well, now I understand why Max has been not himself lately. You had to give up your title to Kayleth and you are...?"

Shelia replies, "I am the champion for Cegorach. I would be with my kin, but you two seem to be of the same mind as I am. The imperial base was attacked and one leader is being healed; the tau fortress assaulted by a single warrior, correct? And lastly, the eldar nearly lost our great enchanter. And it just so happens to be a space marine. Is this all correct?"

Carl and Suu are amazed that even the eldar had a run in with the space marines of the tau. Now the pieces are coming together.

Suu says, "How about we compare intel with each other? I am sure we can all come to an agreement."

Shelia, Carl, and Suu allow their units to remain on alert as they each share the story of a single space marine attacking their base. Lucas is hurt, Aun El Rai is suffering, and Veldoran is in critical condition. None of this makes any sense.

Carl says, "We all shared what we can, so now we must hurry and find out where these space marines are striking from. They must be with the enemy."

Shelia replies, "I do have my doubts about that. They each attacked us on different moments and only two are left alive."

Suu says, "We only have twenty-six hours left behind our armies see each other on the battle field. We may be able to find out something that will cause all of them to hold their attack."

As the trio agree on finding the space marines, Suu rallies her troops. Before Carl can call to his, Shelia speaks with him.

She whispers, "Your eyes are easily distracted and she has caused you to think differently."

Carl looks at Shelia as she says, "You may not be able to see it, but it is there. Ever since she has come to you, she causes your thinking to be more than narrow. Now, you seek the same answers she does. I wonder how your commanders will take the news if you tell them?"

He ignores the words of his ally and goes to his troops. With no help or reinforcements, the trio of squads agree that they must find and get one space marine as a prisoner. They send what little detail information they can back to their base. To their surprise, the battles are on hold for fear of the orks coming to attack.

Lina informs Carl: "Max is gone for the time being, but we are preparing for the orks. One of my senor arrays out in the land has picked up a large movement in the area. Once you are done with your investigation, return at once."

Elenwe telepathically instructs Shelia: "We will keep ourselves hidden aboard the Faded Light until our time is more favorable. The orks are on the way, but we will be long gone before they arrive. For now, we will keep the remaining harlequin with us."

Shas'O Kais confirms with Suu: "The Great Spear will be active for war soon. Once you have what you need, return to us and report. I highly doubt the humans will take any chances of war against us if the orks are attacking them too."

With the horde of orks coming back to attack the forces of order, it all falls to the three fortunate ones. Carl, Shelia, and Suu would go into the landscape of the new world. They would search and find the space marines as fast as possible. With no idea or coordinates of which way to go, they all travel south east to begin their search. Elsewhere, Max continues to walk towards his destiny to face Kayleth. Would she kill him this time? Would he stop her? None can say. There is only the war that each must now face. The tau army is without the leadership of their ethereal; the imperial leaders are scattered to the wind and the eldar stand ready to face any evil that comes to them.

 **Chapter 10: Section 10 – 4**

The softness of the land feels wonderful with each step. They take in the clear air around them as they advance towards the new areas; there are so many trees and wonderful sights that none have ever seen. Though they enjoy and take in everything that surrounds them, each encounter brings them to orks, dangerous plants, and new kinds of sap that turn into achievements. For every small group of orks they encounter, the tau fire warriors end their life quickly. For each living plant that shows hostile intent, the imperial guardsmen and guardians put them down. For each kind of tree sap or flower around, the eldar change it into an herb or healing for everyone. As they all rest from their traveling, Carl looks at the time. Only twenty-four hours are left. There isn't much time left before the three factions collide over a possible attack that came from someone else; they have to hurry. A com message comes to him.

Lina contacts Carl and reports: "These orks are pressing in as much as they can. We may not have the means to attack anyone right now. Be careful and cautious in the areas you are traveling. Report anything back to us. Max is still not with us either. I hope you both bring us back good news."

Carl smiles at his chances. With the orks pressing in hard on the imperial army, Lucas would keep the soldiers at home before advancing on either the eldar or tau. He looks over to see the soldiers show signs of worry and fatigue.

He calls to them, "Soldiers of the imperial army. We will only advance a few more miles before we return back to base to help Lucas hold the line. If there are no evidence of our enemy, I won't waste any more of our time here."

The soldiers happily accept the condition. Before they can begin moving, the tau fire warriors call to them for help. Carl and his squad join the tau to see a surprise before their eyes. Suu is held captive as the silent woman stands before them. She smiles and twirls her blade near the neck of her prisoner. Before any fire warrior can squeeze the trigger, Carl orders everyone to not fire a single shot. With no sign of the harlequins around, he does what he can.

He says, "Let her go or you won't live to see the next sun rise."

The silent woman tilts her head to the side and smiles. She keeps her blade next to the throat of Suu.

She says, "You must care a lot about her. Why else would you not wish to see her die? If she dies, the tau squad will easily accept death than keep fighting."

Suu nearly shows a tear from her eye. Carl demands and aims his lasrifle at the woman of Malice. In a surprising move, the silent woman flicks her blade from Suu and lets her go. Suu hurries back to the others and takes up her rifle. Carl looks around the area to make sure no other warriors are coming to surprise them; he orders the other soldiers to use thermal lens to scan the area. The silent woman smirks and places her weapon away. Everyone stands ready to see what she will do.

She says, "If you want your next destination to be revealed to you, then you must fight me for it. I will offer you all this opportunity one time. If you decline, I will leave. If you accept, I shall not kill any of you."

A few soldiers laugh at the proposal; however, something is not right. Suu and Carl think this is a ruse to lure them in.

She adds, "I am completely alone and have no followers here with me. The orks are right now keeping your forces busy with the mindless wars. If you doubt me, then you shall find victory."

Before Suu or Carl can reply, a soldier runs at the silent woman and punches her. The impact knocks her down and everyone is shocked. She slowly pulls herself up and tries to attack the soldier. The corporal counter the enemy movement and slams her to the soil again. A second soldier takes up the challenge assist the soldier. It is now two on one. They each take turns hitting the silent woman until blood shoots out from her mouth. Carl wants to call back his troops, but he watches as the silent woman continues to take the punches and kicks. A fist to the face causes her to stagger; a kick to the side forces her to crumble. One more soldier runs at the silent woman full speed and launches herself forward with a knee to the head. The attack is successful; the silent woman falls to the ground in pain. The three soldier cheer until they all see her get back up. With a busted jaw and bleeding lip, the silent woman smiles and shows off one of her many abilities. In mere seconds, she heals from the damage done to her. The soldiers think of running, but they all stand.

The silent woman says, "Is that all you can do?"

The words sent chills down Carl's spine; her reply causes Suu to be cautious. The first soldier tries to attack again only to receive a roundhouse kick to the head. The second soldier tries to use a powerful haymaker only to find himself slammed to the ground. The last soldier charges again at the woman and performs the same technique. As he launches off the ground, the silent woman charges at him only to leap just above his body to kick him in the head. The three soldier all groan from the painful hits she uses on them. Not once did she use any of her blades. The remaining soldiers stand nervous after the display of how fast she recovers. She looks to them and taunts them to come at her.

She says, "If you won't come to me, then I shall come to you."

Before a thought comes, she charges at the soldiers and tau warriors. She performs a strong kick to the head of the next soldier. A soldier turns in her direction only to see the silent woman leap at him with a vicious hard punch to the face. A guardswoman tries to surprise her from behind only to receive the backside of her fist. The smack to her face cause the guardswoman to crumble to the ground. Carl orders everyone to back up; he gladly drops his rifle and removes his combat knife. The silent woman looks to him with interest.

He says, "If you want a fight, then come at him. I won't let you go without receiving a beating from me."

The silent woman looks at him, "What makes you think this fight will be yours to claim?"

Additional gear hits the ground as both Carl and the silent woman look over at Suu. She drops her gear and shows off her smooth skin. Carl can't believe how bright her gray skin is.

Suu answers, "You may fight him, but you will wish that I was dead."

Carl and Suu stand shoulder to shoulder. The silent woman urges them both to try. They come at the woman together. Before they can attack, Carl holds back Suu with whispers.

He says, "Let me attack her first."

Suu waits and watches; Carl comes at the silent woman with a leg sweep. The method works, but she recovers quickly. He tries the method again only to switch up his attack with a rising uppercut. The move catches her off-guard; she stumbles backwards as the others cheer. Carl charges towards her, but the silent woman surprises him with a leg sweep. The move works and leaves Carl open. Before he can take any damage, he counters the next attack by rolling to the side. The silent woman misses her chance and redoubles her effort. Carl stand firm and ready. He tries his attack again only to see Suu surprise the woman with a jab to the head. The silent woman looks on, but she smiles. Carl looks to Suu as she looks at him. They both agree to attack together. They both charge at her only to see her leap back from everyone.

Suu says, "Why so willing to give up now?"

The silent woman answers, "If I attacked, then you three would have overpowered me. Between the strength of a normal man, a tau and a harlequin, I would have fallen to you all."

Carl and Suu are joined by Shelia and her handful of harlequin rally around them.

She continues, "Despite being at a disadvantage, you have proven more challenging to me than most can. I shall point you in the next direction you are to take. You are to go there and seek out your enemy."

Carl interrupts, "Why are you helping us? Why do you seek to destroy your own allies if they fight for you?"

The woman chuckles under her breathe, "The ones that attacked you are not of the chapter. They are merely following the plans of our God Malice. Once you have dealt with them, we shall be waiting for you."

With her message and coordinates given, the silent woman leaves the trio alone. Carl and Suu look up the located. It leads five more miles just south of their position. Feeling uneasily, Carl requests for a small base set up at his location. Lina agrees to the confusing request despite how everything is looking. Suu contacts Shas'O Kais for kroot warriors to gather at her position; in fact, Shelia telepathically speaks with Elenwe about getting at least three warlocks. As they all wait for the backup to arrive, Carl orders his unit to be ready and recover from their wounds. Suu orders the tau warriors to assist them as best they can. Shelia and the harlequins journey just out of sight of the others. As they all wait, Carl uses this moment to replay everything that was told to him.

Carl thought, _"She is not making any sense. Why is she helping us? And if what she says is true, those great warriors of the Tau are not even here to help anyone."_

A stick breaks under the foot of her boots; Carl looks back to see Suu join him. She is shy and blushing.

She says, "I want…to thank you. You saved my life."

Carl replies, "There is no need to be so formal about it. I was only doing what was right and making sure you didn't die. The tau still need good commanding officers if anything else happens to your ethereal."

She joins him by his side. Carl looks to her to see her eyes shine bright with an amazing grayish blue color.

Suu continues, "To save my life against death is a life time of happiness. I don't know any other way to repay you for what you did, but I can show you my appreciation."

Before she does anything, Carl stops her and answers, "You can show me your appreciation on the battlefield if and when we find the answers we seek."

Suu squeezes Carl with much affection and agrees to do so. As she receives word of the tau reinforcements, she takes her leave to go organize the troops. Carl watches her leave only to shake off his thoughts of what did she mean. It didn't take long before the small alliance of men and xeno joined again. A few guardsmen and guardians of the imperial faction nearly open fire until Carl explains the situation to them; the kroot fighters stand eager and ready to feast on new carcasses. The eldar warlocks and few dire avengers join them shortly after. It is a regular meet and greet for some, but they all agree to journey to where the danger is at. The land is calm and beautiful. The warp is strong and powerful. Every thought has brought them to this moment. The leave float away from the breeze in the air; the grass is a perfect green and pure. The small animals rush to safety as two unusual powers are about to collide in the open terrain.

In the center of the beautiful field of flowers, she floats with her mind at peace. The warp has been a tool of power for her to use with no limitation. Since her ascent to being the champion of Khaine, her signature in the warp has grown powerful and deadly. For each time she draws upon the power of Khaine, she burns any that get too close. Her first time using the power nearly killed her. Now, she is stronger and more connected. As time went on, she has let minor issues affect her thoughts. The first thought was touch. Every single time she was touched, it upset her. Next, it was the amount of space not present. There were too many times it happened. No space to breathe and no room to move. There was always not enough space. The last and most dangerous thought was marked upon her in ways she never saw coming. It came to her as a surprise, but it also was a horrible experience. No being in her entire life cycles ever left a mark on her the way he did. The mark was too sudden and unwelcomed. Now, the thoughts are desire, rage, want, lust, power, and something more deadly than all put together. Her greatest challenge will be to overcome such thoughts. With no other options left to secure her craft world, Kayleth floats in the open area and welcomes her next opponent with a clear mind. The only problem is will how long before everything comes out.

He finally has arrived to see the air around him is different. Though he has no idea what awaits him, he stands ready to face the new threat. From the day he was born, they loved him as parents love their own. Once he was of age, the parents told him the galaxy will come to hate him for what he is. At the time, he didn't understand any of it until much later. Like any other guardsman, he served faithfully. Then, the day he frightened a daemon is the day his life was saved. Ten years of peace was his on planet Saneesh and no one knew he existed. Ever since his encounter with humanity again, things have not been the same. The orks continue to rage out of control across the galaxy; the eldar are as elusive as their counter parts when they use other species. Even the forces of chaos are deadly in their plans to conquer the factions of order. Despite his accomplishments against the forces of chaos, he still is hated among many. For Max to be a blank, all have come to respect him, honor him, fear him, and hate him. He finally arrives at the center of where he faces a new challenge.

Max slowly advances from the tree line and sees the grass in the area is slowly dying from a tremendous amount of heat. He looks to see the small, thin lines of warp energy float around him and pass through him. He is not detected by any of it; the warp can cause him no harm to his mind. To be able to stand in the warp is to be considered a threat to any being that has a connection to it. At the center of the heat source, she floats calmly and waits. Kayleth feels the warp being nullified by a force that is considered a void. She slowly opens her eyes to see him stop only a few feet from him. In her mind, she sees a threat that must be destroyed. In her eyes, Kayleth knows that Max is a danger to all living creatures. In her heart, she secretly keeps words hidden from her kin that they will never know. All her emotions are slowly breaking through to come out from within. She would speak the words, but now she must toss out the idea of confession.

Max says, "Hello Kayleth. I see you are ready as always to encounter anyone bold enough to oppose you."

She stops floating and stands on her feet. Kayleth says, "So, you stand alone against me like before. Last time, I lost to you since I didn't know who I was fighting."

The words come to Max as a surprise, "So, you admit that you lost to me the first time."

Kayleth feels the rage within her clawing to get out; she looks at Max and feels her eyes change colors to crimson red. Max slowly places his hand on his sword to be ready.

She says, "Yes, I did lose to you once. That is a mistake that I didn't foresee. Now, I know what I must do to keep my kin safe. I have what I need to finally stop you."

As they stand face to face ready to reach for their weapon, a single person stands by in the darkness away from them. She would interfere their duel for any advantage to be gained, but this time she won't. The silent woman looks on and watches to see what will occur.

Kayleth thought, _"This is my chance to end his growing powers before I am too weak to stop him."_

Max thought, _"I don't care what she has in mind for me. I must stop her if the eldar are truly going to be our enemy."_

 **Chapter 10: Section 10 – 5**

The weapons are taken from their cases. Each one is held in the hand of a warrior. One warrior is soulless; the other fighter is powerful from the connection to the warp. She slowly moves to the right with her blade catching on fire and waits to see what he will do. He takes the striking stance as he raises his sword above his head. The sword slowly catches on fire from its attachments. Max and Kayleth have done this before on the ice world. They fought to harm each other, but none was meant to kill. As they keep their senses alert, the silent woman watches with great anticipation. She is wondering who will claim victory over the other.

She thought, _"The eldar witch is stronger than ever, but the risk is great should she give into her own desires to win. He is strong and keeps on growing powerful; the man may be what we need to bring forth our God from the warp. I look forward to seeing what they will do now against each other."_

They stomp the ground and move forward pass the bushes; every step brings them closer to their destination. The questions are still pounding away in their mind. _Is this a trap? Did she lead us to our death? Why is she helping us? Who gains from this act of deception?_ Carl leads his squads through the tree bushes with nerves of worry and steel; Suu keeps her teams silent and quick as they follow closely to the next area. Shelia of the harlequin quietly dances around their allies as they instruct each one to be ready for what they shall encounter. Once the small factions of order clear the bushes, they see them. Only a few yards from them; they stand together as the last of the trio. Rather than waste time for them to be ready, Carl advances forward with his teams right behind. He instructs the others to set up as best as they can. Suu follows in the same manner and moves beside him. The eldar allow one warlock to join Carl and Suu; the others disappear as fast as they came.

One space marine says, "I see. One last brother is dead, but he accomplished his task."

Carl points his lasrifle at him and says, "You will regret those words. You will fail against us now they we have you out numbered greatly."

Suu adds, "You didn't finish your tasks when it came to eliminating our noble ethereal either. That is the last chance you will get."

The two space marines turn to them and wait. Many of the imperial guardians are ready, but the imperial guardsmen stand nervous. The stories of a space marine cause them to pause in their actions; Carl looks to his men and prays that everyone is ready.

Carl asks, "When did you decided that Malice was your new master to serve?"

The tech space marine scoffs at the accusation, "You are a fool to believe we serve this Malice person. We know of this being, but we do not serve him."

The news shocks everyone in the area. The words the tech marine speaks must be lies.

Suu steps forward with rage, "Why? Why would you join us if you falsely serve this dark one? Is it to help your human companions? Do you just seek to stop our expansion?"

The space marine takes two steps forward with his chain sword ready. The imperial guardians and fire warriors stand strong; however, the imperial guardsmen back away.

The space marine answers, "We were once soldiers for the Emperor of Mankind. Our journey brought us to the Sons of Malice. Most of our chapter didn't see them as a threat, but our chapter master set us to deal with them. A small squadron of twenty space marines seem to worthless. We were wrong; all but the three of us died against them. Now, there is only two of us left to face three factions."

He continues, "At first, I was proud to serve the Emperor greatly and achieve the dream he set out for all of humanity. Only when Malice showed us the truth that I decide to no longer stand for what humanity needs. Malice showed us that the galaxy needs to be more than fixed; it has to died and be reborn again. The forces of Chaos must be broken; the swarms of the Hive Mind must be eliminated. Even the Necrons and Tau are a forces that must be scattered to the wind in order for the galaxy to be truly saved. Humanity and eldar may survive long enough to endure the challenges awaiting them, but I fear it won't be enough. The least we can do is grant you a quick death to avoid the coming danger."

Suu didn't believe the words of the space marine; Carl is anger at what he just heard.

Carl steps forward and pulls out his sword, "I think you will find a quick death for us is impossible to perform."

The space marine and tech marine step forward only to be hit with a barrage; the lasrifle rounds from the imperial guardians cause them to put up a guard. The tech marine uses his advance defense system to put up a shield around them. Carl and Suu look back to see the imperial guardians use their jet packs and take to the sky.

One of the soldiers says, "Not to worry, sir. They were the Emperor's champions long ago; now, they are target practice for us."

Several men and women take to the sky; they rain down fire on the space marine and tech marine. The shield holds up as the others get into position. Unable to withstand the volley of lasrifle rounds, the space marine charges out and attacks with his chain sword. Carl takes out his own sword. With one thunderous clash of their weapons, they both slide backwards. The battle between them is on even ground. Neither can surprise the other as they have trained together the entire time they spent alone. With her voice breaking through the air as she shrieks, Kayleth uses her abilities to keep Max unbalanced. As fast as she is, Max manages to keep every strike against him in check. Max does surprise her a few times with his own barrage of strikes. They clash again and lock their blades against each other in the center of the land. Max is strong, but he knows Kayleth is holding back something.

He says, "You are holding back for some reason. I don't know what your plan is, but it won't save you."

Kayleth feels her eyes change again to crimson red. Max notices the change and finally slashes at her left arm. The cut didn't both her as she tries to strike at him. Now, Max can see everything she does. He dodges her next attack and slashes at her left arm again; Kayleth quickly turns about and tries to stab him. Max leans back and brings his sword upward and cuts at her torso. He stops to see her armor is burning away. She comes at him again; he guards against her attack and presses against her side. With one complete spin, he cuts at her back. Max didn't understand how or why he is gaining the upper hand. Kayleth stands back up despite the blood and marks. She turns to him with her eyes showing the same color. Max holds back only to see her step forward once and complete stop.

Kayleth thought, _"…Yes…this…is…it…I will win…"_

Max feels the ground shake; the warp begins to swirl around her as the sensation becomes her focus. The hate for Max is strong and her rage to destroy him is stronger. The more the warp comes to Kayleth, the harder it is for her to resist the darker temptations. The area shakes violently and the flames of Khaine slowly turn the ground dark. The area slowly resembles the scorched area left on the ice world. As the warp begin to push everything out, Kayleth holds her light blue sword in hand. Max covers his eyes due to the brightens of the flame. As she holds her blade and stands tall, she finally smiles.

Kayleth thought, _"The time for holding back is over; I have what I need to destroy him. He will die this day. And I will be unstoppable."_

With an eruption from within her core, the flames of Khaine now burn with a dark flame surrounding her. Max uncovers his eyes to see a new form slowly take shape. As the purple flame dies down, Kayleth steps forward. The armor shows the brand of Khaine; however, the color is less bright then before. Her armor is now turning dark purple and red. The blood that drips from her hands has stopped. Max looks closely at her to see her shine not as she should, but as something else. Kayleth opens her eyes to reveal the new color. It is crimson red. Max stands boldly against her as she looks into his direction. She smiles with joy and stands ready to strike Max down.

Max says, "What in the name of…?"

The impact is sudden. Her connection is strong and the force is too much. Before he may have been able to withstand some attacks, but this is different. Max feels his body go limp as he flies far into the air. The next hit occurs suddenly as he feels a sharp pain to his back. He goes to the air higher and feels his more pain than ever. Just as he is about to think of where the next attack will be, she appears in front of his face. All he can see is her eyes. The crimson red eyes of rage, hate, and pain. Kayleth spins in the air and kicks Max to the surface. He falls at a fast rate. He manages to see the soil of the earth first. Suddenly, a strong grip is around his throat. He looks to see the same eyes again. Max feels his body is more damaged than before. A rib is busted and pain is in his stomach; the arm feels fractured and everything is loose. Kayleth squeezes his throat harder. He can't focus on anything but those damn eyes.

She says, "How does it feel to be powerless against me now?"

Before Max can speak, she locks her lips with his. The kiss is acid to his mouth; everything is a threat to him. Once she pulls away from him, Kayleth rams her knee into his side. The pain from the impact is too much to handle. She lets Max go as he falls to the earth groaning in pain.

Max says, "I…don't get it… How are you…this powerful… When…?"

Kayleth smiles and circles around him, "You don't know what you did to me? You don't remember how every single act you did to me lead to this? Allow me to share it with you."

She plunges her blade into the ground before him and continues, "The first time you touched my hand is where this all began. I can recall how irritated I was when you did that. The idea and touch from a _mon-keigh_ only fueled my desire to kill you quickly. The sensation was more unbearable than you can think of. Then, your compliment of my feature didn't sit well with me at all. The idea of you finding me alluring disgust me. You, a mere human finding a desire to see me as beautiful, attractive, and possible desirable? The very thought of your words only kept my rage growing more and more each day. The worse of your actions was the mark you left me years ago. Right before your battle in the warp with the daemon lord of Slaanesh, you marked me in a way I should have never known. That kiss only sent pure hatred through every nerve of my body. Why did you do that, Max? Why did you do anything to me that involved being us close to together? Why did you feel you need to do any of those things to me?"

Max slowly stands up only to feel a strong grip on his harness; he is slammed against a tree and held up by his gear. He tries to speak, but the pain done to him prevents him from doing so.

She questions him, "I asked you a question, Max. Why did you do all of that to me? Why would you purse me, knowing that we will and must never be? Why would you love me when I won't allow it?"

Unable to reply, Max looks into her eyes to see that this is not Kayleth. The painful groans slowly give her excitement. Kayleth moans slightly as she extends her hand out and retrieves her blade from the soil. Once the blade flies into her hand, she drags it against his face and leaves a long slash. The pain continues to hurt him. The idea of killing and destroying Max gives her a rush. She stabs his hand with her blade. Though the blade barely breaks through his palm, the pain of Max soothes her greatly. Kayleth locks her lips again with Max. The kiss still feels as if acid is dripping into his mouth; she presses a thumb against his ribs to cause him further pain. Max begins to lose all thought until an expected surprise happens. Kayleth quickly leaps away and pulls away from Max quickly. She looks at him to see her warp power faded away. Max groans from his wounds and looks around to see an unusual surprise. From left side of the tree, the silent woman steps forward.

She speaks, "I see you are strong, but you won't kill him so long as I stay by his side."

Max looks up to see the woman help him, "Why…are…you helping me?"

She looks to Max and transfers a large amount of warp power through him. The energy does nothing to him, but he feels better in seconds. Next, she cups her hand by Max's body. Within seconds, the pain is gone and Max feels his body healed. Kayleth tries to strike at her, but the silent woman blocks the attack with ease. Kayleth roars greatly only to feel the same void presence from the woman.

Kayleth shrieks, "How is this possible? How are you strong than me?"

The silent woman looks to Max. Then, she turns to Kayleth. She gasps and smiles.

She says, "You didn't tell him, did you?"

Max says, "What is going on? Why are you here helping me? Why did you say that?"

The silent woman, "Allow me to open your mind to what she has yet to tell you. When the eldar witches found this planet, they meant to bring your people out here to die. They never had any intentions of helping you finish your wars against us. They sought to locate the source that called to them. In return, they would gain a champion and your kind would be left here to die against us; however, the plan has backfired. The tau army and the eldar of the craft world are trapped here in this galaxy just as much as you are. By them coming here, you do not realize how far from the galaxy you have trapped. You can never go back to your galaxy; you will never see how it ends. More importantly, your species has been lied to and your fate is sealed here."

The words she speaks didn't come easy to understand; the journey out here to a new planet has been a lie. As Max begins to question everything, he looks to Kayleth with wonder and surprise. Elsewhere, the teams of Carl and Suu continue to battle the last space marines. As they keep up the barrage, they remember that they have to survive in order to prevent a new war from beginning. At the imperial base, Lina and Lucas hold everyone together by any means; they keep the civilian population on the War Harbinger away from the battle as they begin to evacuate the ground forces. The orks try to push in as best they can only to face the barrage from lasrifles and battle tanks. The tau also began to rig their base with explosives as they climb on their shuttles to be brought back to the Great Spear. The eldar keep all their kind hidden aboard the Faded Light as the orks try to search for them. A dark time is ahead of the forces of order. Now, they stand alone with new ways they must fight the enemy.


	11. Chapter 11

**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**

 _The threats of humanity are always present in many forms. Most of the threats are easy to see, but the most dangerous ones are from within one's self and the allies. Some threats from an ally are easy to talk out; many more are fixed with trade. The only danger of a threat is how far will one go to stop it._

 **Chapter 11: Section: 11 – 1**

The air is heavy and thick with warp energy. It surrounds everyone and anything alive; a small mouse crawls near the warp only to run from it. The grass under their feet is brown from being burnt to ash. The soil is no longer able to produce any flowers until time permits it to do so. All that is certain is the words told. Every syllable spoken to him breeds the words of betrayal. There is no understanding to any of it; the more she spoke, the more the questions pile on each other. Max didn't understand her meaning and none of her methods make any sense. Elsewhere, a small skirmish rages on. The space marine cuts down three guardsmen before being forced on the defense; the tech marine uses his bolter to gun down any jet pack flyers. As Suu and Carl keep on trying to find a weakness to expose, they keep their soldiers focused.

Carl says, "You may as well fall back now. There is no sense in both of us dying."

Suu replies, "I will do no such thing. We agreed to stop them together. I will not run."

Suu radios for air support. Everyone looks back to see two aircrafts of the tau fly overhead. The tech marine turns on the full power of his shield and blocks the incoming barrage of pulse rounds. With no other plan, the space marine finally pushes out towards his targets. Carl rushes at the chance to battle the warrior. They both clash their weapons against each other; the space marine tries to cut at Carl, but a surprise comes to him. With a surprise kick to the face and twisting above their head, the harlequin champion of Cegorach dances before the enemy. Carl is easily knocked to the ground as the space marine turns to Shelia. Before he advances, he sees two more join her side. The warlocks join Carl and turn their eyes to the tech marine.

One warlock says, "They will be more than enough for him. Let us focus on the other."

Suu joins Carl and quickly looks him over. As Shelia and her two harlequin taunt the space marine, they stand ready for his next attack.

The space marine cries, "You will not win this day! I will slay you all!"

As the trio await the space marine, the tension rises high as Max looks to the silent woman and questions her words and reasons.

He says, "What words are you speaking of woman? Why are you helping me against Kayleth?"

The silent woman says, "When my master was search the warp for his other followers, the eldar sensed his presence as well. They heard the words of Malice calling to them in the warp across the dark space of the halo zone. But, Malice didn't count on the Laughing Fool to call them out here as well. Once the eldar heard His laughter in the warp, they came here knowing that they would use your ship to travel through dark space to come here to receive his message. Like the orks your forces battle, they too were called here by the words of Malice. The tau army was an unseen force, but they are welcomed once they came with the others. Now, thanks to all four of you all, everything is ready for the next plans. The eldar may have lead you all here to die; however, they are trapped here in this part of the galaxy as well."

She continues, "When your army traveled through the dark space to come here, the eldar forgot to mention that they will leave you here to die with no way of returning back to the galaxy you know of. The eldar can possible return, but they risk running into the dangers of dark space that lurk in the shadows. If you do not believe me, speak with your eldar witch. She knows that they are ready to leave you for dead. So, ask her."

Max turns to Kayleth and sees her warp power going down. He says, "Is this true? Is this why you led us out there? You led my friends and regiment out here to die?"

Kayleth keeps her rage in control, but she replies, "It was our destiny to return back to our galaxy with hope. Your destiny was to die here among the sea of lost planets and stars. You have served my needs well to safeguard my kin against any danger."

Before she speaks any more, the silent woman backs away. Max grips his blade hard and grinds his teeth. The rage is slowly twisting his thoughts and reasons; he has been lied. At first, he may have agreed to the eldar need, but something else has occurred. Kayleth looks closely at Max only to be taken by surprise. His blank powers stretch out too quickly and cover the area he stands in. As Shelia and her harlequins finish off the space marine, they stop to feel the unnatural void come at them. Even the squads under Carl and Suu pause in their gun fire. The tech marine feels the uncomfortable feeling and uses it to escape from the skirmish. The void form Max stretches all from him and goes as far as it can. The orks turn and look to the direction it comes from. As the Faded Light, War Harbinger, and Great Spear leave their last battle fields burning, they all feel the void come to them. The humans on the War Harbinger lose communication; the eldar shudder as they feel the cold feeling surround them. Lastly, the tau wonder why something is causing their systems on the Great Spear to malfunction.

Lina, Elenwe, Shelia, Carl, Suu, Shas'O Kais, and Kayleth all feel the terrible void from Max as he finally frees himself in a way unforeseen. He as strong as the void comes out, it disappears quickly. Everyone didn't understand what happen. The silent woman leaps away from the area of Max and Kayleth. She watches and sees what will happen next.

She thought, _"I didn't expect him to be this powerful as a blank. I pray he does turn that power on me."_

Max looks to Kayleth full of rage and says, "Never again."

Kayleth raises her blade, but she didn't expect Max to crush his fist in her stomach with a force unlike any other. The hit sends her stumbling and flying backwards. She makes a massive impact on the ground. Kayleth stops after flying and stumbling only 500 yards from the hit. She quickly recovers only to see the void is waiting for her. As strong as he has become, Max proves only that he still growing.

Kayleth thought, _"That's it. I want to see you try your best to stop me. You will fail this time."_

Max waits and looks at her with wonder. She screams and shrieks as loudly as she can. The air stops suddenly and pulls itself around her; Kayleth allows her warp power to expand around the area. The winds start to blow violently around the land; Max takes the guard stance and feels the land shift around him. As the power of Khaine flows within her, Kayleth looks to the sky and allows as much of her power to be unleashed. The grass turns to ash and trees fall over. The ground becomes burnt and brown. Far from the area and high in the sky, they all begin to pick up signals from the powerful warp. The systems of the War Harbinger begin to pick up readings; a massive surge of air changes occur within the Great Spear as the tau read the temperature. Lastly, the eldar feel their souls are revived with great enthusiasm. Though far from her, the power of Khaine surging through Kayleth gives every eldar warrior a need to be brave, courageous, and wrathful. The more that comes out, the more her emotions are stronger than before. Kayleth relives every encounter of Max as if they are still happening. From the touching to the affection, the emotions are rage. To the holding and uncomfortable moments, each nerve is sensitive to the hate. The most powerful of the events is still the kiss. With her emotions and power reaching higher than ever, Kayleth feels herself being open to the dangers of the warp yet she feels more alive than before.

As she relaxes her rage, Kayleth looks to Max and smiles, "You should've fled before when you had the chance."

She takes the sprinting position. Max looks on and can't see what she is doing. All he can tell is that her body is lower to the ground. Kayleth enhances her eye sight and focuses on Max. With her warp powers strong, she runs at Max with a blink of the eye. The strike from her blade sends Max flying high into the air and smashing one-thousand yards from where he stands. The silent woman is amazed at how far both individuals have come. The strike from Kayleth sent a massive surge of warp energy all over the land. With her powers now stronger than before, she smiles as she feels her eyes change once more.

Kayleth thought, _"This is it. I have what I need to save my kin. Max has to be dead, but I feel different."_

She looks at the reflection in her blade. The eyes are completely blood red and no irises are present. Kayleth smiles at her new power yet something is missing. She looks at her hands to see the blood is no longer dripping. The silent woman approaches her and smiles.

She says, "You are truly a sacrifice worthy to the true dark one of chaos. Malice would reward me greatly, but I am afraid it is not my right to deliver you to him."

Kayleth snarls at her, "If you believe yourself mighty, then why do you not take my life instead of waiting to burn?"

She looks to the distance land and points, "It will be his honor to do so."

They both look to feel the void come back stronger than before. The silent woman leaps from the area. Kayleth looks with enhanced warp eyes only to feel an unexpected hit; the sudden slam of a fist to the gut forces her to bend, but her resolve never gives up. She grabs the hand only to see Max in front of her. The powers of the blank slowly push back and nullify the area; Max continues to drive Kayleth back, but she holds her ground firmly.

He says, "If that is all you have, then this fight will be over."

Kayleth roars, "I am far from being finished!"

The pair break away and continue their battle; every hit sends waves of warp energy cutting into the air and ground. In the far distance land, Shelia stabs the space marine in his side. Before he falls, he tries to lift up his chain sword only to feel his arm pierced by a sword. He tries to reach for his side arm bolter; the last harlequin also stabs his arm. The three dancing harlequin force the space marine to his knees. With one graceful leap into the air, the trio of harlequin bring their blade up. All three leave a cut on him and cripple the space marine; he tries his best to stand, but the pain causes him to stumble. Shelia finishes off the space marine with a strong thrust into his chest. He grips the blade and the neck of the harlequin champion. Carl runs from the side and stabs the space marine; Suu pulls out her combat knife and plunges it into his neck. The last two harlequin strike where they can until the final breath of the space marine is heard. Everyone pulls from him only to see the mighty warrior fall to the ground. With the tech marine gone and his battle brother dead, the small alliance feels the unnatural void come at them again.

Carl says, "We need to head to the source at once."

Suu steps in front of Carl and pleads, "Please, we must regroup with our allies and wait until the moment is right."

Shelia walks off as Carl calls to her. She says, "You may do as you like. We go to our kin at once. The void from the area may be someone who is now a threat to us."

The harlequin and warlocks disappear from the area. Carl radios for transport at once; Suu tries to persuade him to wait.

He says, "Now is not the time for us to wait. Max may be the source of this void; he is my commander and needs my help. You may do as you like, but I am not waiting until the worse happens. If you want to help, then follow us."

Before Carl can rally his troops, Suu grabs ahold of his arm, "Promise me. I need you to promise me that you will return to me alive."

Carl didn't understand her words or reason behind such a want. As the transports for the tau and imperial army arrive, both sides journey as fast as they can to the source of the danger. Suu contacts Shas'O Kais and updates him on what has happen; Carl reports to Lucas and Lina about the event. With nothing else do to, everyone turns their focus to the area where Max and Kayleth are at. A strong strike with the swords and warp energy shoots out from her weapon; he counters her move only to nullify the area. Max charges at Kayleth with the warp passing through him. He strikes, swings, and thrusts with his sword of fire. Kayleth continues to use her strong defense to counter, evade, and slash against Max when possible. Both warriors are strong yet neither has found a way to overcome the other. With one final strike, they both leap away from each other and stand. Max looks on to see Kayleth is more than just powerful; she is showing too many signs of enjoyment. The need is there to finish him off. Kayleth looks at Max to see him breathe hard; his urge for rage is powerful. The silent woman continues to marvel at how strong both combatants are. Max slowly relaxes his guard and quiets his thoughts; he looks to Kayleth as she continues to let the warp power of Khaine pour out from her.

She thought, _"What is this mon-keigh doing now?"_

 **Chapter 11: Section 11 – 2**

The thoughts of betrayal are strong and emotions of hate are great. He was warned so many times to never trust the eldar. From the young age of any imperial citizen, everyone is told to hate the alien and kill the xeno. For many who live outside of the imperium of man, they share and become involved with many types of xenos that lurk in the galaxy. Max has performed one fatal mistake that the Emperor would damn him for. He stands calmly and looks at her; the warp is pouring from her constantly as he sees not the same eldar woman he could have once loved. She takes the aggressive stance and waits to see what he will do. Instead, roars at her with one request.

Max says, "Show me."

Kayleth wonders if he is mad with rage or a fool.

He continues, "You have grown stronger for some reason. So, show me just how strong you truly are. I want to see your full power since you are no longer holding yourself back."

Kayleth smiles and laughs at the foolish Max, "You wish to die against me knowing how this will end for you and your kind? Very well, if you insist."

She raises her sword high into the sky. Kayleth draws out the rest of her sleeping power; the ships slowly continue to journey towards the area until everyone picks up a heat signature stronger than a star. The War Harbinger and Great Spear hold their positions and pull back; in fact, Carl and Suu order their shuttles back aboard their own ships. Only the Faded Light continues to move towards the source of the strong warp energy. Elenwe continues to endure and shield the other eldar from the heat. All is going well until he appears before them in a weakened condition. Though his is still suffering from his wounds, Veldoran calls to Elenwe.

He says, "Do not approach the area. This has happened before."

Elenwe orders the operators to halt the ship as Veldoran continues to inform them.

He adds, "On the ice world, Kayleth has done this before and showed no sign of safety for herself. If she is to survive, no one can interfere. We are endangering ourselves if we get too close. Elenwe, let us wait just out of range."

Elenwe sees the wisdom in his words and orders the operators to maneuver the Faded Light within twenty miles of the warp signature. The Great Spear and War Harbinger arrive just only a few more miles behind the eldar. As everyone waits for the intense heat and warp power to quiet down, many speculate on what is happening. Carl arrives at deck one to find Lina and Lucas looking on with worry.

He says, "Do you believe Max is there?"

Lina replies, "I can't raise him. His radio may be broken or destroyed. The heat signature down there is as hot as the sun."

Lucas adds, "All we can do is wait. We don't know what is going on, but I know Max is at the center of it."

At the Great Spear, Suu celebrates the successful recovery of Aun El Rai. He orders all forms of shield protection to be active.

She says, "The readings from our systems show that something is really hot in the area. The human ship is waiting here for a reason."

Shas'O Kais looks to Aun El Rai, "Ethereal, leave the defenses to me for now. Until I know it is safe, you are to stay here. Suu and I will see to any and all dangers."

Aun El Rai reaches out to Kais and replies, "All I ask is that you honor my words. No war unless needed."

As everyone looks on and waits, Kayleth feels her skin burn with fire; she looks on at Max only to feel her eyes burn with the flames of Khaine. Once she achieves her full power, she lets out a powerful roar that travels all around the land and further out. The eldar feel rejuvenated with confidence and power. Elenwe senses Veldoran is not at peace; she employs her strongest warp shield around the ship.

Elenwe thought, _"This happen before when power was hers. I only hope that this is not her end to save us. Be careful, Kayleth. You are still needed."_

As Max uncovers his eyes from the light, he sees her step forward. The power of Khaine is brighter than before. She shines with the war deity symbol shining on wrists, chest, knees, and forehead. Kayleth opens her eyes only for no irises to be seen; it is as if she was possessed by Khaine herself. She speaks with a deep voice as she smiles at Max.

Kayleth says, **"You will die this time. No one is coming to save you, Max. Do you have any last words?"**

Max looks on with eyes of wonder and disappointment. He says, "Is that it?"

Kayleth laughs as she gathers all the power within her blade to strike at Max. The land shakes, the sky rumbles, and fire covers Kayleth. Max stands perfectly still and awaits everything. He shows no sign of worry, fear, or attempts to flee. Within seconds, Kayleth has what she needs. She charges at Max shrieking as loud as she can. Every step beats with the events of her encounter with Max. The touch of her wrist is still annoying; the rough feel of his hands is filthy. As she prepares to strike him down, the only thing that was more painful is the mark he gave her years ago. With one powerful strike, the warp from Kayleth instantly fades and disappears from the area. Kayleth feels her power is gone and only the void is left. She stands just ahead of Max and quickly turns around to see him still standing perfect. No movement is made on his part; the silent woman marvels at what she sees. He slowly turns around to face Kayleth. All of her power is nullified and only a large slash is made on his upper torso. Max tears off his clothes and exposes his chest. The blade from Kayleth left a mark, but it is only a battle scar. Kayleth slowly lets her doubt come up.

Max says, "You will pay for that."

The void from Max rolls over the entire area. As every system aboard the ships experience communication problems, Kayleth trembles at who she attacked. With her powers proving useless against him, Max would be ready to deliver the finishing touch. Kayleth tries again only to be surprised. With one slash from his sword, Kayleth stumbles forward and looks down to see a scar on her stomach. The pain comes to her with a powerful rush; she nearly curls up and holds her stomach. She turns around only to see Max is gone. Suddenly, a sharp pain cuts her back as she falls forward. The pain is quickly strong as the first one. She turns to see him standing there only to find a void coming at her. Max takes a swinging stance and swings his sword forward. No more than only a few feet from her does she see the attack coming. Kayleth leaps to the side only to see and feel a slash at her wrist. She lands on the ground and roars in pain.

She cries, "NO! How is this possible?! How can you do this?!"

Max lets his sword fall to the ground. Veldoran leaps up and opens a warp portal. Before any eldar can stop him, he goes through the portal and appears right on the ground just a few yards from the area. The void feeling is strong and painful; however, he endures the frightful pain and goes to stop whatever is coming. Kayleth slowly begins to let the fear overtake her mind. Before she can run, Max sprints towards her and grabs Kayleth by her hand. He squeezes her wrist and forces her to drop the blade. She tries to punch him in the face but nothing works. He squeezes harder and harder until the bone snaps. Kayleth cries in pain as Veldoran hurries to her rescue.

He thought, _"No, please no. Anything but that."_

With his rage not in check, Max roars at her and grips Kayleth by her throat. She looks into his eyes only for him to see the same rage showing.

Max says, "You were right. I should have listen to you the first time."

Kayleth gasps and looks at the ground to reach for her blade. Max steps on her weapon and grips her throat harder. She looks back into his eyes to see the same hate.

He wrathfully says, "I should have never loved you at all."

Max slams his fist into her stomach. The impact is nothing but a void. He lets her go only to punch away at her body. Kayleth relives every moment of her life again to try to ignore the pain, but nothing helps. Every hit sends a void feeling through her soul. Before Max can continue, she hears his voice. He stops and turns to see the warlock breathing hard and risking his own injuries. Veldoran shouts and pleads for her safety; Kayleth nearly cries for help.

Veldoran says, "Please, do not kill her."

Max grabs her by the arm, "Why? Why should you and your kind live to see the sun rise in the galaxy when you would leave us here to die?"

Veldoran cautiously picks his words, "We did not intend leave you stranded, but I was clearly left in the dark as well. If there was…"

Max holds up Kayleth by her clothes. Veldoran nearly tries to summon a powerful warp spell but can't. He only prays that Max will let her go and not break her. He watches the blank _mon-keigh_ smack Kayleth across the face. Every hit only weakens her more; she bleeds from her wounds and spits up blood.

He says, "What does it matter, Veldoran?! You were planning on leaving us here to die! Why did you give me a reason to believe in your words?!"

Kayleth tries to continue reaching for her blade. Max turns his focus back to her only to give her more pain. He punches her in the chest as hard as he can. The force from his fist nearly knocks her out; she prays that he will stop only to feel he hold her up. Kayleth is no longer brave and strong. She looks at Max only to see he won't let her die so easily.

She tearfully cries, "I…I…only wanted...to save…my kin…Please…let me go."

Max tightens his fists; the void of his blank powers comes out. Veldoran can see the end coming and uses his warp power to go as fast as he can. He stumbles to the ground and looks on to see the worse happen. Max lets her go and allows her to fall to the ground. Kayleth looks up to see a man that was ready to kill her; he shakes his head in disappointment. All he did was look at her bleed once more.

He says, "You are not worth killing anymore. Whatever I felt for you, it died this day."

Max turns and walks away from the area with his rage slowly fading. Kayleth feels her blade at her hand. She sits up and pulls the blade towards her. All Kayleth sees is Max walking away. She still slowly tries to get up only to be surprised once more. Max turns around and rushes upon Kayleth; he takes her blade in hand and rams it into her side. The shock of it cause Veldoran to shout for mercy; the pain is too much for Kayleth as she bleeds once more. He pushes as hard as he can and leaves it in her side. Elenwe orders the ship to come into the area; the Great Spear and War Harbinger follow in the same motion. As the eldar teleport the surface, they find Veldoran calling them to help at once. Elenwe appears ground side and looks at the face of a dying eldar commander.

Veldoran says, "Time is short. I can feel her slipping away. What can we do?"

Elenwe clears everyone back and draws on her warp power; the warlocks channel their own power into her as she uses all that she has to save Kayleth. The shuttles from the War Harbinger land ground as the strike team with Carl moves in. They come to a massive view of light-green warp circling around the area; he tries to move in close only to be stopped by a set of howling banshees and dire avengers. Shelia leaps and dances near him with words of warning.

She says, "You may want to not interfere with this ritual. We are only trying to save her."

Carl orders his team back and radios to the War Harbinger. As more of the warp circles around the area, Elenwe does everything in her power to make sure this technique would work. Veldoran calls to her and begs her to stop only to feel his wound healed.

Elenwe says, "To all of you, this is my gift. If my time is now, remember me as one of the farseers of the craft world. I do this to save her."

The warp shoots from the Wraithseer Elenwe and plunges into the body of Kayleth. Once done, the wraithseer falls to the ground. The spirit stone of Farseer Elenwe falls to the ground. Veldoran looks over at Kayleth only to hear a small exhale of air leave her lips. Though the eldar have her back, the cost of another is painful to see. The eldar waste no time and take Kayleth aboard the Faded Light; they leave no message and do not bother to explain anything as they fly from the area. Carl advances slowly and looks around the area. No sign of Max.

Lucas orders Carl back to the ship and turns to Lina, "I don't understand. What just happen?"

Lina sighs and relies, "I don't understand this either. No sign of Max, the eldar are leaving and the orks are pushing us further away. How did it come to this?"

The War Harbinger floats slowly in the air. Everyone aboard didn't understand what happen until the speakers aboard the ship broadcast the message of Lucas:

 _"Attention everyone. I have some troubling news; we lost Max. The eldar have slain him in combat. If they did, we will show them no mercy. We lost a great man that trusted the eldar too much and died for it. I promise you this. No eldar shall receive any form of mercy for this vicious breach of faith. We will avenge Noble One Max Johnson. The orks are a problem for us right now, but they will fall as well. For now, we will journey to the other side of the planet and such for a new area to set up out next base. For now, the old orks of Bone Snappa will be our focus. Until we find solid ground, the War Harbinger will be our mobile haven. So, make yourself ready and be alert once you are on the ground. Everyone is allowed a full two days of rest. We will win; the enemy will pay for this."_

As the news shocks everyone, Carl rushes by and hurries to find Lucas and Lina. Upon finding them, he begs for a private chat with them about what he has discovered. Aboard the Great Spear, Kais and Suu look at the console and question the last order that was given to them.

Suu says, "It was his last wish to us. He only wants peace after what happen. What…"

Shas'O Kais replies, "I am not willing to put any more of our lives on the line for these humans. We will wait and stay in the sky for now until the time is right."

 **Chapter 11: Section 11 – 3**

It all hurts. Everything hurts so much. Painful experiences from life changes your mind to make you think otherwise. A friend dies, a lover goes, a family member turns to crime, and what you believe in changes your view. Pain from everything will always make you see many things differently. It has been two days since the incidents have stopped. No words are spoken to explain away the pain that has come to them. No one understands how it came to this. Two days ago, two warriors clashed in an open field. In her hatred for success, she unlocked more of her power. In his wrath, he finally opens his eyes to what will never be his. Kayleth and Max battled to save their kind from death at the cost of their own life. In the end, only Kayleth was saved at the cost of the Great farseer Elenwe of Alaitoc. Now, Max is gone and can't be found. At the time of their battle, a new face of danger caused trust to be broken in two. There were three space marines of the Tau that forced everyone to believe the enemy is within; the plan was nearly successful until Carl, Suu, and Shelia stopped them. Only one space marine is left alive. He is can't be found and has left no traces behind to follow. As Carl, Lucas, and Lina now stand together on deck one, they question everything that is going to happen.

Lucas says, "So, the space marines told you that their allegiance is to no one. And you had help from the Tau and Eldar to defeat them, but one is still alive. Is there anything else?"

Carl adds, "I don't know about anything else nor can I give you anything worth going on at this moment. One thing we can agree on is that the Tau didn't attack us with an intent. The space marines were a lost cause before they were saved by anyone. They only seek to destroy and eliminate any who are in their way."

Lucas sighs and accepts what the report states. Lina looks at the monitors and says, "It has been only two days and we have not found anywhere safe to land. Most of the terrain here is too uneven and can be a trap for us. How much longer must we look until we find a safe haven. We still have five million souls aboard the ship."

Lucas looks at the console and goes to it. When asked what he has in mind, he turns to his lover and second-in-command with a face of worry.

He says, "I know this has not been easy, but right now, we have no choice. If we are to stay here longer, then we must do what we can to ensure that everyone here will survive."

He presses a button on the console. A signal goes to the Great Spear; they wait until the screen flash. Commander Shas'O Kais stands appears before them.

He says, "You must be foolish or crazy to speak with me after all that has happen. Why do you call us, human commander?"

Lucas sighs and answers, "I know you are somewhere on the planet. I am sending you coordinates to meet with us. There is a lot to talk about."

Shas'O Kais annoyingly replies, "After all your ill spoken words and constant show of mistrust, you would dare request an audience with us? Have you nothing else to gain other than the destruction of our Greater Good?"

Before Lucas can answer, the monitor goes dark. Lina and Carl look on, but Lucas assures them that all is ok.

In seconds, the monitor shows the tau commander again.

He says, "Send us your coordinates and do not try anything."

Once the deed is done, the monitor goes quiet again.

Lina asks, "Why are we meeting with the Tau? This is their own fault for trusting the space marines."

Carl agrees, "I hope you are not trying to find a way to destroy them now. We have to rely on ourselves only."

Lucas nods his head and replies, "Right now, we need all the help we can get. We don't know how long we will be here; Max must be found. The orks are a threat to all of us. I rather have allies in this moment. We still don't know if the eldar will help us, so we can't be picky either. The tau army may want us to join their society, but we got our own duty. Right now, the plan is simple."

Unsure and wondering, the trio agree to the idea that Lucas has in mind. On the Great Spear, Kais and Suu question the reason for this sudden change.

Suu says, "Based on what we endured, we can use their help. They may seek to help us establish a foothold on here."

Commander Kais replies, "For all we know, this is a trap. The human Lucas has shown his rage towards us after seeing the humans in our army. Not to mention, the woman that was at his side will support his claim. What makes you believe anything will be different?"

She answers, "Look at the situation. First, they know we didn't make any attempt on their base since the space marines attacked us. The same space marines attacked the eldar too; the only thing they wanted was to see us all fight among each other. Now, only one of them is left. Carl and I will be able to help you and Lucas put aside any differences if the need is required. Second, the eldar helped us in the fight against the enemy. Though they are hidden from us and moving somewhere, we stand a better chance at trusting the humans more. It has been proven that they can be more agreeable than the eldar. Our last few encounters with the eldar ended in gun fire and attacks on us. Lastly, we need a place to set up our foundations carefully. With the orks and Sons of Malice still here, I rather be near someone I trust."

Kais sharply adds, "You mean that you rather be beside _him_ than away from him?"

Suu tries to hide her blush, but the commander understands her choice.

He asks, "Why are you still set on him? It is obvious that he will not give into your needs for the tau?"

She happily replies, "That is why I want him more. He keeps showing that his will is strong. We have other _Gue'vesa_ in our army, but I prefer him."

As the two continue to talk, Aun El Rai joins them despite how weak he remains.

He says, "I take it we are going this way for a reason?"

` As Kais and Suu explain the change of plans to him, the Great Spear vessel continues to travel towards the direction of the coordinates given. In one hour, the tau ship contacts the human ship. As both pull alongside each other, Lucas agrees to keep the peace. Carl escorts him to the surface. Carl heads ahead to prep the shuttle and his unit. Lina continues to monitor the system only to be surprised by Lucas. He holds her and smiles.

Lucas says, "I understand my reasons for hating the tau, but I don't want you doing anything reckless. This is the best way for us to recover and save everyone else; we lost one million people thanks to the orks. Let's save the last five million so we can have a great future."

Lina kisses him and says, "I will follow you until the end of time. I love you, Lucas Turner."

As he lets her go, she embraces him tightly once more. As the ships remain high in the sky, two factions gather on the surface below them. Carl and Lucas step forward with a pack of ogryns, imperial guardians, imperial guardsmen, and storm troopers at their back. Suu and Shas'O Kais stand ready with fire warriors, a pack of kroot fighters, vespids, gue'vesa, and honor guard fire teams. Lucas and Carl order their teams to stand near the back and watch for enemy movement. The four walk ahead of their squads and stand face to face. Though Shas'O Kais is ready and willing to obliterate the enemy, Suu is focused on trying to not smile so hard at the sight of Carl.

Kais says, "We are here as you asked. What do you want, commander Lucas?"

Lucas replies, "That's Lord General Militant Lucas Turner, Commander Shas'O Kais. I am here only to parley with you given the situation we both face."

Kais holds his tongue until Suu says, "What is it that you want from us?"

Lucas answers, "We have only five million people aboard our ship. We have been traveling for two days straight from the orks. I don't have any idea of what to expect on this planet from the orks or the Sons of Malice. I propose we agree to support each other."

Shas'O Kais powers up his cannons and aims at Lucas; the soldiers nearly advance on the tau. Even the War Harbinger brings it weapon system online to fire should the worse happen.

He says, "Give me one solid reason why I should agree to support you and accept any form of help? Your kind has made it clear that you would rather us die than be of any help to you."

Carl steps forward and drops his weapons; Shas'O Kais aims his cannon at Carl. Suu worries that her commander will fire. Carl continues to walk forward until the cannon is pressing against his chest. Lucas orders everyone to hold fire unless told to do so.

Carl proudly and boldly says, "In case you are unclear about the situation, let me review everything that has happen to us both since we encountered each other. First, you were attacked by the Sons of Malice when you were traveling on your way here. Once you get here, you came to us under a flag of peace. Your terms were not too steep nor did you show too many signs of a threat to us. Afterwards, you came through dark space with us to find this world and even faced any dangers in the dark space with us. Now, you stand here before us ready to aim your cannons and weapons at us? Surely, you are the great fool the tau has a commander. The orks are attacking and continue to expand. The Sons of Malice are hidden from us. I don't care about how dangerous this enemy is, but I believe and know that if you don't help us, then you are doomed. And if we don't provide you help, we will fail. So, if you are going to shoot us now, then get it over with. And if you fall in battle, who will protect your ethereal from danger when you need it the most?"

Lucas keeps his hand on his weapon. Everyone wants to hear the reply. He lowers his cannon and turns to Suu.

Kais replies, "No wonder you trust him so much."

Lucas and Carl look on with questions as to what that means. Shas'O Kais orders his troops to stand down and turns back to Carl; he removes his helmet to show them his face.

He says, "We will help you as best as we can, but there are conditions as well. Aun El Rai is still recovering from his wounds. If it possible, let us travel with you and find a place for both of our people to build at. We will keep our kind separated from yours until you are ready to accept us. Do we have an accord?"

Lucas walks forward and offers his hand. Shas'O Kais didn't understand it until Suu explains the gesture. Upon shaking hands, the tau forces and imperial army agree to travel together. After both squads and leaders retreat back to the ships, both forces begin to sweep the sky for a safe haven. From jungles to open terrain, nothing was easy. Each area shows them too many weak points or advantages the enemy can use. Carl attends to the troops and motivates them to be better; Suu keeps the tau forces proud of how far they came. Both leaders agree that survival is the most important objective. After two hours of flying, both ships come to the site that all would call hope. The land is perfect; the ocean is at their back with more ways to continue setting up defenses. Lina uses the ship to scan for additional areas ahead of them. It is nothing but water going out for more than thirty miles. Lucas didn't mind the area being flat all around; Carl sees a large amount of water. As both ships begin to set up bases, the long sleep for five million humans is over. The imperium of man and tau empire would use this whole area for the future operations; they would expand around the entire area and make it impossible to gain entry. Lina pulls up the surface details of the land and agrees to the size of the new fortress.

She says, "The fortress will have to be at least seventy-five miles in all directions. We don't know how many civilians of the tau are with them."

Lucas adds, "I am sure we won't need the base that large, but we will all adapt to make this work."

Every able bodied person and xeno gladly takes to the soil to start construction for the military operations; the command center would be near the water for the imperial army; in fact, the tau builds their command post just a few yards from their base.

Lucas takes notice to it and looks for the commander. He questions Kais reason for building it close by to their own command hub.

He answers, "Only at the main command center will there be any interactions. You agreed to trust me, so I want the ethereal next to an area you will protect the most."

Though skeptic of the idea, Lucas agrees to the terms but reminds the command about his people getting involved too closely to his own. In two days of non-stop building, the new fortress is ready to stop a tide of orks. The outer area is set with traps and ambush parties ready for any intruders. The land has a series of barracks setup with small defenses ready to repel and report to every area. After most of the military area is set, the leaders meet again to discuss more matters at hand.

Shas'O Kais says, "I notice your people are willing to work with some of mine so well. I hope they are not causing you too much trouble."

Lucas replies, "It is alright. I expected it to happen sooner or later. We did work with the eldar before; it is only natural for us to just work with your kind easier. For now, I will allow a small area to have a resource spot. We will both use our civilians there and keep housing open for only those we will accept the idea of staying in close quarters with a new xeno type. The rest of the areas will be half and half for our own factions."

Before Kais can agree, a voice from behind them says, "If that is what you have in mind, then let us leave only two people to watch over this developing area."

Lucas and Kais turn to see Aun El Rai approaching them. He no longer suffers from any pain and shows interest in their activities.

Shas'O Kais replies "You are well. I am glad to see it, but we will only agree to the conditions if the Lord General Militant is willing."

Lucas smirks, "It is alright. I am in no position to threaten you or start a war. The orks are my problem; I rather see us stopping them than fighting each other. And I know just who to put over here for this matter of our kind living close by."

Aun El Rai agrees with the idea; however, Shas'O Kais still begs that they respect the imperial customs when dealing with xenos. At any time, their relationship could turn into a new war once the enemy is gone. In the south region of the new fortress, a large portion of the land is built with technology of both factions. With no danger coming to them, the tau and imperial army use as much time as they can to continue to build a new home for all.

 **Chapter 11: Section 11 – 4**

It has only been four days for him. There is nothing else left for him to eat; the last pieces of fruit were all that was left to him, but now there is nothing else. He has traveled far and is alone from everyone else. As he makes adjustments to his clothes, Max turns around to find her standing before him. She tosses him a slab of meat and smiles at him.

Max says, "Why are you helping me? You could've left me to die yet you are still here?"

The silent woman replies, "I only want you to realize how strong you truly are. The power you possess is enough to destroy all of your enemies if you learn to control it. Why do you think I follow you? Malice sees you as a threat; the eldar fear you more than ever. You continue to go to searching for your friends and allies. The only flaw is your keep seeing yourself as a normal man among them."

After Max examines the fresh meat, he slowly cuts it up into pieces to cook.

He says, "But one of your space marine followers sees me as the advantage Malice needs to be brought into this reality. Why would you want me to destroy him?"

The silent woman looks to the distant land and replies, "You can be his advantage to bringing him into the galaxy, but I see you stronger than him. For you, I would rather see you betray everything and forge your own path. Malice will return to the galaxy and destroy his enemies; I can see him bringing balance to all that is here. Just as he did with me, he can do for us all. If you allow me to show you what you can truly do, you will never need to fear even the Dark Gods themselves. I am a blank myself, but Malice used a daemon to be bind to me. Once it was done, everything was perfectly balanced. It was the daemon of Malice that showed me how everything can be perfect. The longer you resist, the harder it will be on your allies and yourself. I offer you the same power I have, but you will require a great daemon of Malice to be a part of you."

Max looks at the silent woman and looks at the food. He can't contact anyone and has no clue as to where they are. After everything that happen, no one eldar would dare to trust him. He sighs and walks over to the woman. She looks to him and stares into his eyes.

He says, "Show me what I am missing."

She smiles and pulls away from him. She allows her powers to stretch out and channels the warp through her with ease. Before Max can feed on the food she gave him, he loses all focus on what matters. The need to eat is gone and all that is left is his desire to learn more of what she is. As the powers from her continue to emerge, the warlocks around Kayleth slowly heal her. Veldoran finds himself alone and looking at the spirit stone of Elenwe; he holds back his tears for the sacrifice she makes to keep Kayleth among the living. The eldar aboard the Faded Light show signs of sadness. To gain a champion but lose two great leaders brings the eldar low. With no other options, Veldoran calls to Shelia.

He says, "I wasn't strong enough to stop the damage done to her. She is alive, but her soul is weak from the experience. How did it come to this?"

Shelia says, "We trust in our actions more than what we knew; however, this is not the end for us. Our craft world may be able to still survive this ordeal."

Veldoran looks at his own scars, "I should have been stronger to keep this from happening. Now we have only one choice left. It has now been nearly five days; there is only one thing I must do to ensure all of us do not die here."

With his mind made up, Veldoran goes to the ship operators and guides them correctly. It was time to do what they have done before. The choice is not an easy one, but it must be done. It didn't take the eldar long to arrive at the surrounding area of the new fortress. Rather than sneak over or appear suddenly, the great enchanter does a reckless stunt. He appears groundside and moves to the first gate. The alarms go off around the area; Suu and Carl head out only to find Veldoran standing alone. A full scan of the area is done, but they pick up no other eldar in the area.

Carl says, "What are you doing here? Last I recall, your kind was not willing to stay around us."

He answers, "I am here to help you understand what will be hard for all of you. Please, I require you and your leaders to be here to listen to me. We planned on keeping it from you, but you deserve to know."

Unsure as to what he meant, Carl radios the base and informs the others to pass on the message. After enough time goes by, Veldoran finds himself surround on all sides and in the center. Lucas, Lina, Shas'O Kais, Carl, Suu, and Aun El Rai all stand in the highest place of all. It is slightly odd for everyone to be here surrounding a single eldar warlock. Many sit back with eyes of hate; some view Veldoran as suspicious. Everyone did agree that something must be wrong for him to be here alone with no backup.

Lucas says, "I see you are the only one here and that you came with no help. I hope this isn't some vile attempt to show me you can be trusted."

Veldoran looks at Lucas. Then, he stares at Lina and Carl. He notices Aun El Rai, Suu, and Shas'O Kais too. No sign of Max. He feels relaxed, but unwelcomed.

He says, "I came here to clear the air on events that have happen and what we all will be facing. If you will hear me now, what I tell you is what the eldar have kept hidden from you. The reasons for it is simple; we did not mean to bring you any harm. The reality of this situation is now we are all in it together. I can only hope you will look pass this and continue to work with us as you did before."

Everyone waits as Veldoran continues, "Before we came out here, the eldar heard the laughter of one of our old deities whom we rarely hear from. Cegorach, the Laughing God, called us out here to this part of the galaxy. We didn't expect him to be near the Sons of Malice nor was the old orks of War Boss Bone Snappa something we anticipated. Our original motive was to find the source of why Cegorach was out here so far beyond the galaxy. We took this journey knowing that this can be a no return trip for you; however, we believed we can return here through our web way portals. Once we arrived, Shelia lead our craft world until the Laughing God choose her to be his champion for the final act to come. Because of this, Kayleth had to be the Autarch once again; however, we did not realize how far her emotions were changed thanks to your friend Max. Now, instead of having two able bodied leaders, we are lost out here in this part of the galaxy with you. None of us can never return; we are all trapped here in this new galaxy and can never return back to the galaxy. With that said, can you allow us to help you find a way to stop the forces that infest this planet? We won't survive without your help and you do need us…"

Before any more words come from his voice, a bolter bullet strikes the ground. The uproar from others forces Carl and Lucas to keep them all at bay. To hear the words _'no return'_ only gave them all a reason to hate the eldar.

One imperial guardian shouts, "Kill the eldar!"

A guardsmen corporal adds, "Burn the eldar scum to ash!"

A woman cries, "They can't be trusted! They deserve to die!"

A tau honor guard roars, "Why should we help them when they will just turn on us?!"

A kroot warrior growls, "Let us devour the treacherous foe! They are nothing!"

Aun El Rai raises his hand to the sky; a hush falls over the tau. Lucas fires his gun and demands that the voices be silent.

Lucas turns to Veldoran, "So, you lead us here to die against the Sons of Malice only to be stuck here with us? Now, you want us to help you? For what? You will just turn on us or betray us like you did before? What brought this change?"

Carl adds, "I understand your goals, but you were willing to leave us here to die. Why should we expect you to be different? The tau followed us willingly and stand with us; they will die fighting our enemies too if they have to. You only seek to improve your kind and allow the rest of us to die."

Before any words can be spoken, a warp portal opens and she steps through. Everyone turns to see Kayleth still showing her wounds are still visible; many are surprised that she is hurt and still standing. Veldoran worries for her safety, but she walks slowly towards the center.

Kayleth says, "The marks you see upon me were done by Max Johnson. His power is a threat to us and now, he sides with our enemy. He has gone over to the Sons of Malice."

The news of this surprises everyone. Lucas grinds his teeth and nearly pulls his bolter from his harness.

Lucas says, "You don't know what you are talking about. Max is no traitor."

Kayleth frowns upon the words of Lucas with disappointment and rage, "Then, where is he? Why did he face me alone and nearly ended my life? It was thanks to him the eldar lost our farseer Elenwe."

No one else didn't know what to say. Everything is on the edge of the knife; some want the eldar to die. Lucas is at a loss for words and Carl wonders if what they say is true. Before any more words are said, an alarm goes off just in the south region. Lina informs every one of the orks coming to them. Everyone does what they can and prepares for the intruders. Lucas stops the eldar from leaving only to give them a message.

He says, "I may not trust you, but we will settle everything once we are done with the orks. If you want to help us, then fight with us. If not, get out and never come back."

Lucas and Carl rally the troops as they call to them; Suu and Shas'O Kais motivate their fire warriors and kroot packs to be ready. The alarms and speak alert all teams to expect waves of orks. As they all continue making preparations, Lucas and Kais go over the details.

Lucas says, "I will have my main force concentrate firepower here with the battle tanks rolling in with support. You will find me coordinating things from this area, but Carl is leading my vanguard. I hate doing things from the rear of the battlefield. We got a few turrets set up to stop any vehicles coming at them. I already have my soldiers ready. What will you do?"

Shas'O Kais confirms, "The kroot packs will be with your ogryn packs near the second wave of reinforcements. If the orks get in too close, they will provide us with what we need. My fire warriors are being led by Suu-Riah-Lu near the front. She will be a great benefit to the others. Our tanks will move up once we are have stopped most of the first mobs."

Kayleth joins the two only to see Lucas is unwilling and Kais is untrusting.

She says, "Despite what you believe of us, we will fight with you."

Lucas replies, "Do what you must to help. My soldiers know what to do when you are around."

Shas'O Kais agrees, "If you so much as turn from this fight, you will have me to deal with warrior."

Near the front of the land, Carl rallies his men with sheer confidence and eagerness.

He says, "Here we are again. We are neck deep in it with the orks ready to come at us with their rampage and war. These orks are an old foe, but we know what to expect from them. We will hold the line. When the orks push us against the wall, we will hold the line. If the war boss himself comes at us with rage, we will hold the line. If a ork psyker spits vomit at us, we will hold the line. If the enemy believes we will run, we will hold the line. So, make yourself ready to give the orks the fight of their life. And if they think we afraid, they don't know who they are messing with. We are the imperial guard and imperial guardians. We HOLD THE LINE!"

They all cry, "Long live the Imperium of Man! We are the Hammer of the Emperor!"

Just to their side, the imperial forces see the tau fire warriors pray. Many look on and watch. Carl looks at Suu to see her relaxed and at peace. Before he can call her, she stands up with her helmet under her arm and rifle in the air.

Suu roars, "For the Greater Good! We fight the orks! Let them remember that we never surrender!"

The kroot roar and growl; the fire warriors ready their rifle and take their position. Carl and the others didn't understand much of the tau. As he heads to the front with his personal guard, Suu joins him. He looks at her and she gives him a smile. The noise of the orks is loud and power. Everyone is ready to face them. They all look and aim their weapons towards the south. Everyone knows what is now coming. The ground shakes with a terrible rumble; the sky is shattered with noise of green muscle. They run forward and roar loudly; the enemy is proud with their war boss leading them. The orks stop just only five hundred yards from the area; they growl and snarl with delight.

High above the sky, it floats from the distance. Many look on to see the horrid ship is still functioning. None understand how or why. Then again, there isn't much to understand when fighting orks. Lina informs the War Harbinger operators to be ready for an air assault; Aun El Rai instructs the Great Spear operators to be aware of the approaching ork ship. Commander Shas'O Kais and Lucas stand at the center. The duo sends out orders and receive orders from their acting captains. Suddenly, the area has flashing lights. Appearing from the web way portals, the eldar of Alaitoc join the others groundside. The imperial forces pay them no mind; the tau are eager to fire at them. A few groups of tau almost turn their rage on the eldar only to hear a message from their commander to be focused on the orks. As the forces of order all stand ready, they wait for the orks to come. Even the Faded Light vessel joins the Great Spear and War Harbinger in the sky. The chance for success are great; the enemy is massive and many. As they all wait for the green horde to attack, everyone stands ready to force the orks to retreat. The war boss takes to the front of his ship. He looks at what awaits him just north; he smiles and lets his voice carry the last words to his orks.

He says, "Listen up, ya gitz. Da humies, da eldar, and da grey-skins ar ere. Dey tink we'z not strong enuff to beat dem, but we ar ready fo em. Dis is gonna be a great fight. So, ready dem shootas boyz! Ain't no where fo dem to run or hide. We'z da great orks of Mork and Gork. Time to kill em all."

With one final word, the orks run at the base and move out their tanks. Everyone is ready as they see a tide of green muscle come at them. Lina sends word to the War Harbinger to bring all guns online. Aun El Rai uses his words to encourage the tau fire warriors and kroot packs. The moment will soon be here. They all only pray that the orks will all die by the many for them to go on the offensive.

 **Chapter 11: Section 11 – 5**

The view is peaceful and everything is moving slow; the touch of the trigger being squeezed is calm. The sight of the barrel spitting out a bright shot is amazing. Every single shot leaves from the rifle with ease. The roar of battle silences any form of words. None can hear a single word, but the death cries of their enemy. Each body gets hit with a blast from a pulse rife and lasrifle. The impact causes many to stagger and stumble; every gun continues to fire until a massive pile of orks is in front of them. As they get closer to the first line, a surprise catches the orks off guard. He takes cover and orders everyone to get down; the orks believe this is their chance. He flicks the switch and presses the red button. The land just ahead of them erupts from the massive explosion. It is perfect and beautiful. Everyone sees the body of the orks fly high into the sky and splatter. The sight of it is not to bring them happiness or give them joy. They all see the chance coming.

Carl and Suu order everyone to fall back to the next line. It didn't take the orks long to continue rushing forward. Many shield wielding orks lead in the next wave; the orks are too typical. Instead of risking their melee infantry, the battle tanks of the imperial forces move up. All five of the tanks are joined with the railgun tau tanks. The tank teams fire and shatter the land. They keep up the barrage until they see no more orks coming at them. High in the sky, the ships slowly advance forward. The operators scan the land far ahead of everywhere and discover the ork looter tanks rolling in. The Great Spear of the tau fires is powerful railguns at the tanks in the south-east. The War Harbinger of the imperial army destroys the next wave of ork tanks in the south-west. Lastly, the Faded Light of the eldar cripples the enemy tanks just south of the land.

Once the damage is done, the noise of a few ork mobs and ork nobs is heard in the distance. They move up the field and roar at the punishment the forces of order dish out. No mercy is given; no quarter is given. Now, they beg for a physical hand to hand fight. Everyone waits and looks on with anticipation. Carl steps forward and drops his rifle; he turns to everyone and looks in the eyes of all that know him as the imperial guardian.

He says, "For the imperium, we will hold the line."

With his words spoken, he turns towards the approaching horde. He pulls out his sword and stands ready to fight the orks on their terms. Before he can give the order, the fellow soldiers of his unit and guardsmen stand with them shoulder to shoulder. They all stand and hold as the orks rush at them with savage rage. They have taken the bait.

Lucas orders a barrage of cannon fire be sent from the War Harbinger; the packs of ogryn stand just ahead of the imperial front line. As the orks close in, the surprise comes to them. Eldar howling banshees appear in the middle of the ork line and slash at them. Just as the orks try to turn around, they are ambushed from behind as the kroot warriors climb from the holes in the soil and perform pincher attacks. The orks try to fight on all sides only to see the imperial guardsmen and guardians move up to support their allies. The orks face the velocity of the alliance between humans, eldar, and tau; every fire warrior keeps a healthy distance and provide support as everyone else stabs, cuts, slashes, and clobbers an ork to death. In the middle of the war torn land, their voices ring as loudly as they can.

Carl shouts, "Guardsmen! Keep up the attack and drive the orks back! Do not give them any quarter! Medics! Pull back the wounded!"

Suu roars, "Fire into the mobs and cut them off at the legs! Kroot teams! Make sure you do not leave a single ork left alive!"

Flying into the center of battle with crisis battle suits, Shas'O Kais yells, "Choose your targets and attack! Stay strong, fire warriors! For the Greater Good!"

As the trio continue to divide and conquer the orks, more reinforcement come from the north and provide aid where they can. Despite being hurt and unable to partake in the battle, they do what they can to maintain lines of support.

Lucas says, "Get another five squads up there and support those lines. Any wound is to be pulled back as far as you can from the front. I will head in once I know the rear guard is secured."

Aun El Rai broadcasts, "Do not give in, my fire warriors. I am here with you and shall stand with you until the end. We stand against the savage with the imperial guard and eldar. We will win."

Veldoran orders, "I need more warlocks to give the orks a reason to pause. All healers are to assist the medics as best as you can. We will still continue to not die from these savage green skins."

Soon, a loud shrieks cuts through the sky. Kayleth and Shelia lead the eldar melee teams in for close combat. They cut and slash at any ork coming at them. The pair dance and move with graceful attacks that leave some of the tau and humans amazed. Shortly after their entrance, Kayleth leaps high above all and lands in the center of the ork mobs. With her power unlocked, she makes short work of the orks as they are burned to ash from the flames around her. As she continues to burn with the flames of Khaine, many orks turn their focus to her. Every attempt to overcome her, she lops off the head of many orks. All motions to grab her are cut short with each arm that goes flying off; the orks burn by the many to ash or piles of burning flesh. Everyone watches as she turns the field around her into a bloody and burning artwork. Three mobs try to hold her down only to feel their skin boil. Kayleth jumps high into the air and strikes the ground with her power. A massive warp sphere of fire expands outward and kills fifty orks. The orks slowly come to a pause only to see her covered in blood and continues to burn.

Kayleth turns to her kin and allies, "Follow me to victory!"

As the she turns around, the whole area suddenly becomes cold. The orks pause and look around. No one understands what is going on. It is a terrifying experience; many can tell who can be the cause of it. A few praise the idea of him returning, but the eldar fear the worse is about to begin. A noise is heard from the sky above their head. Everyone looks up to see the clouds move apart and see something land roughly on the ground. No more than a few feet away from the orks and only a few feet from Kayleth, he slowly stands up. He turns to everyone and looks around his surroundings. It is Max and he has returned. The imperial army rejoices at the sight of him, but the eldar slowly back up. Even as powerful as Kayleth is, she leaps away at lands beside her kin. Carl looks at the eldar back; he begins to order everyone back. As they continue to back up, Suu questions the reason for everyone backing up.

Carl looks to her, "If the eldar are backing up and it is colder than before, something is wrong. For now, be ready."

Max looks towards the orks as they look at him with confuse. One ork nob reacts at him with a short lived rampage. The ork is lift up by his throat and feels its neck break with little effort. Max looks at the other orks and moves just ahead of them. The orks slowly fall over and blood shoots out of them. Everyone is glad to see Max back, but the eldar slowly shriek in rage. Carl looks over to see Shelia trying to focus, but something else is happening. Everyone holds their breath as they all can't believe how fast he moves. No more than blinking their eyes, Max is in front of them. He looks at them all; no words come from him. All they can feel is the void is stronger than ever and it looks back at them with a need. The eldar are frozen solid; Kayleth steps forward only to feel weak. Max stands before them, but the cold void like feeling is not threating.

She says, "What happen to you, Max?"

With unmatched speed, Max moves in front of Kayleth and nearly forces her soul out of her body. She is frightened; the eldar want to move, but Kayleth orders no one to move at Max. Carl is dumbstruck at what he sees. Lucas, Veldoran, and even Aun El Rai don't understand what is going on. The communications are static; the area is too cold yet the sun is shining. Max moves close to Kayleth. She is full of fear and more afraid.

He whispers, "You."

The roar of the orks catch his attention; Max turns around. He stands perfectly still until he moves at the orks slowly. He walks with ease and shows no need to panic. Kayleth finally breathes and falls to her knees. The orks continue to move at him as he picks up the pace. Everyone wants to follow him, but Carl forbids anyone from joining Max. The closer the orks get, the faster he runs. Soon, he comes in contact with the first bunch. With just the strength of his arms, many orks fly backwards as he picks up an ork axe and begins to slaughter them. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. They all die by groups of twelve and continue to surround him. With his unmatched strength again, Max throws one into the air and moves through the mobs of orks with more power than ever. He grabs ahold of an ork and runs into several more before dropping the ork; he takes a second ork axe and cuts down the mobs by the many. Everyone watches the orks turn around and chase him down. Only a few continue to press on, but none live long enough to take on the others. With every swing of the axe, Max shows no emotion and happiness. He slaughters the orks more and more. A mob of ork nobs try to clobber him only to be thrown back against the others.

Once radio contact is re-established, Lucas contacts Carl, "What is going on? Is that who I think it is?"

Carl replies, "Yes, it is Max. But, there is something not right about him. The eldar are backing up more and more and returning to the ship. We should get ready once he is done with the orks. I don't believe he needs out help."

Lina and Lucas continue to recall all force. Carl orders his men to pull back; Suu and Kais follow in the same manner. Everyone has questions as to why.

Suu finds Carl and asks, "What is going on? I thought he was your friend?"

Carl answers, "I don't know who that is, but it is not Max. He is doing more than just slaughtering the orks. All of them are trying to kill him, but he is doing us a favor right now."

With the orks running from Max to find more boys, the ork war boss pulls his ship back. The orks are in full retreat. As much as everyone wants to call this a victory, the eldar keep showing signs of trouble. Lucas goes and finds the eldar still afraid of what they see. Once the orks leave, everyone holds and waits. The wounded are cared for and the few dead are buried. No word from Max is heard. Lucas, Lina, and Carl gather with Suu, Shas'O Kais, and Aun El Rai. They try to understand what is going on until the cold feeling returns. All of them feel so uneasy and something sends a chill down their spine.

Lucas sees the eldar ship still around. He orders Carl and Suu to find them.

Lina says, "Please, we should leave. I can't…"

He replies, "We can't leave every time trouble comes. Max is here and now; we must see what is going on. I won't risk myself too much unless I have to. I love you, Lina."

With a kiss from his lover, he bids her to return to the ship. Carl and Suu find the eldar disappearing into the web way portal. Kayleth, Shelia, and Veldoran stand alert and unhinged.

Carl questions Shelia, "What is going on? Why did your entire army retreat through a web way gate? Where is your ship?"

Shelia replies, "He is at the front of the base. He won't attack until we provoke him; we must safeguard our kin in case he attacks us."

As the others retreat, Lucas makes his journey to the front of the base in the south. The tension is high and the cold feeling is strong. He comes to the gate and exits through the door. There he is and standing alone. Max stands perfectly still and breathes slowly. Carl radios Lucas as they quickly hurry to his location. He didn't understand what is going on nor why Max was able to drive back the orks, but he is glad his friend is alright.

Lucas says, "Oh yeah, you obviously didn't need any help from us."

Max raises his head and looks at his friends, "I see that you are working with the tau and eldar. It seems a few changes occurred when I was gone. I am here to correct that."

As he continues to walk near him, Lucas adds, "You don't want to correct anything, Max. Right now, we are on good terms until the orks are stopped and the Sons of Malice are dead. I don't believe that would be our best choice for us. If we start a war with our allies, we will lose more as they do."

Max walks to the side, "So, you are on good terms with the eldar? Even when they were willing to leave us here to die? Even after what the space marines of the tau have done to us? You would stand with them and not trust your instincts?"

Lucas sighs, "Yes, I would. Even when Veldoran told me everything about the eldar's plan to leave us, I agreed to help them like you did. And the tau space marines were never really on their side. They only wanted to make sure we are all at each other's throat. They only seek to destroy us and help Malice out."

As Max looks to his backside, he sees Carl coming with Suu and Kais. The tension is high.

He says, "I see what must be done now."

Carl says, "What are you talking about, Max?"

He says, "In order to truly prevent any harm to the imperial guard, the eldar and tau must die. Only when they die will I convince Malice of our worth and he will look to us. The eldar can prevent him from returning, but the tau would be a great sacrifice for his birth into reality. I hope you all will realize that this is being done for the greater need of the galaxy. I finally see why the Sons of Malice follow him. And I will share this with you before I let you die."

As the words of Max continue to send chills and worry down their back, they all stand together and hope they will be enough to stop him or even subdue him. Lina monitors the systems of the ship and keeps everyone active with the wound; Aun El Rai urges more cooperation between both sides. Kayleth stands back near the web way gate with her close friends and worry that the worse will happen. With Max now back and accepting the power from Malice, they all stand with thoughts of fear now that they face their friend.

 **(Hey guys, looks like I will be adding more another series to this and changing up a few sentences and scenes. I will keep you updated on the next series and I will try to give you a great ending. And yes, keep the review coming. I will try to read over each of them and give you a reply. For now, one more chapter is left and a new story will come. I will try not to stretch it too far. This is another project from yours truly, Big Boss Pugh.)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Dawn of War: Fateful Tide**

 _To know yourself and know your enemy, you will never lose any battle you face. To know yourself but not the enemy, you will suffer a great battle for every grand victory. To know nothing of yourself and know nothing of the enemy, you will be destroyed constantly until nothing is left._

 **Chapter 12: Section 12 – 1**

They came far in this life and cut down many enemies. Now, they must struggle against the unknowns of the new galaxy. From the edges of the great Milky Way galaxy, they went through the eternal night of dark space. To find a planet streaming with life among the many stars and planets lost in an empty void is a blessing in itself. To those who went beyond and never returned, they are forgotten. To the few that returned, they shall never journey again. Some are meant to see the edge of the galaxy and travel beyond; many more will only go far until they see something dreadful stare at them. As they all stand near him, they hear the words of damnation and heresy. The mission was simple: _Stop the Sons of Malice from bringing forth their dark lord from the warp._ The situation was as easy as turning one's hand over or throwing away a piece of trash; they all had the objective in mind until the challenges forced them to stop. The space marines of the tau used deception and destruction to shatter the trust. Although one is left, they did their duty well. Now, a new threat stands before them. Lucas questions his friend and the reason why he takes a new path towards self-destruction.

He says, "You don't want to do this, Max. You know that this is what Malice wants."

Max grips his weapons hard and looks up towards the sky. As Carl moves to the left, Suu and Shas'O Kais move to the right to spread out. Lucas looks to them with eyes of worry and warns them to use caution. They all listen to him sigh calmly and relax his guard.

Lucas continues, "I don't know what happen to you Max, but this is not the way. We are all here to stop the Sons of Malice from achieving their plans."

Max quickly looks at his friend with shock and rage only to reply, "Is that what you believe? Let me enlighten you. We, as in the imperial army, are here to stop Malice. The eldar were only coming with us to seek out the one they call Cegorach; he selected his new champion for the plans he has and that was it. They would have left us here alone to die against Malice while they retreat back through the web way. Did they not tell you of their true intentions? They are as sneaky and selfish as the tau. Those fanatical xenos only wanted to save their precious cargo that was imperial property in the beginning. Now, after the space marines killed many of our own, they seek to repair the damage. Come now, how much longer will you let them deceive you? None of them care about our survival; they have used us to achieve their own personal gain. Now, they seek to leave us or convert us."

Carl steps forward, "Noble One, this is not the way. You fought with us. Why would you want us to serve the dark one Malice? He plans on destroying the galaxy and everything in it."

He looks to him and answers, "That is the point of it. Why not let Malice destroy everything and let this galaxy fold in on itself? If his plan is achieved, the galaxy will be remade differently. I was blind to believe that I can serve for a cause greater than my own, but I am a fool. Malice showed me that everything in this universe must be erased. All I can offer you and humanity is one chance. I invite you all to take that one chance to change the fate of the galaxy. If you stand with me, then Malice will reward us with the power we need to stop the dark ones of chaos. Will you follow me into paradise once again?"

Carl looks to Lucas. He lowers his head; Suu and Kais didn't understand the reasoning for Max betraying them. Max waits to hear the words of his friend.

Lucas lifts up his head and answers, "I'm sorry my friend. But, I must stop you."

Lucas unsheathes his lighting sword and aims his bolter at Max. As much as it pains him to do this, Max lowers his head in disappointment.

He says, "I see. You refuse to accept the power I have. You will find this battle is no easy victory for you."

Max reveals his flaming sword as Lucas charges at him. Before he can land a strike against him, a massive rock falls from the sky. The boulder crushes Max with ease. Lucas looks back to see Veldoran help him and questions his reason for the surprise visit.

Veldoran says, "If Max is stronger than ever, you will need help to stop him."

Shelia leaps into battle, "This fight is more than your own personal battle."

The boulder shakes and burst into pieces. Everyone takes cover as best they can; Max appears in the center with the warp circling around him. He uses the warp to his advantage and sends the small shards of stone at Veldoran. Shelia leaps at him and cuts his leg; the attack does nothing to him. Shas'O Kais takes to the sky and rains down cannon fire at Max. Every energy blast is blinked away as it approaches Max. He leaps high into the air and cuts at the tau commander. Veldoran use his warp powers to shield Kais from the attack. Max lands on the ground only to block a strike from Lucas. Carl looks on and watches as his two commanders battle. Suu calls to Carl and she tackles him to the ground to avoid the powerful back lash from Max. The Shelia appears in front of Lucas to shield some of the attack. Though not enough to kill her, the effect weakness her. Carl looks up at Suu.

She says, "We must keep back."

Carl agrees and the pair fall back. Max swings his sword again and sends out another wave of warp energy. It smashes into the ground just as Shelia and Lucas dive to the side. Kais flies in from above and unleashes a wave of rockets at Max. Though barely making a dent, the attack proves useful to stop him. With his rage stretching everywhere, Max jumps into the air and spins rapidly in a circle. The warp from his sends out a shock wave and Kais goes crashing to the soil. Two crisis battle suits of the tau join him; they both fire missiles and beam cannons at Max. The attacks are useless; Max begins to laugh. He looks to Shelia and Lucas.

He asks, "Is this all you have to show me?"

Lucas activates his jetpack and takes to the sky. Max follows his movement as his friend falls down on him with a strong slash. The attack is easily blocked and deflected. With just the hilt of his blade, Max sends Lucas flying backwards into ground with hardly any effort. Veldoran steps forward and uses a powerful wave of warp power. Before he can send it, Max counters the attack with a surprising back-hand to the face and throws the great enchanter to the side with hardly any effort. Kais and two crisis suit operators take to the sky; they all unleash a barrage of missile and cannon fire on Max. They hammer the area with enough force to stop ten battle tanks. The dust begins to settle and Max remains standing.

He leaps into the air and surprises them all. Max stands on the shoulders of the first crisis suit operator. With his sword stabbing through the suit, he hits the tau operator inside and forces him to land. He leaps at the next target; the operator uses the suit as a bomb. He falls from the suit only to see Max stab at bomb. The explosion didn't go off until after Max sends the suit high into the air. Kais flies at Max with his cannons blasting him. With a strong impact to his body, the tau commander sends Max smashing into the ground. The impact isn't strong enough to stop him; they both leap from the hole. Max moves quickly and cuts off a missile pack from the shoulder of Kais. Shelia engages Max and strikes at him. For every strike and slash she does, Max counters them all only to hit Shelia with a strong warp attack from his sword. Carl and Suu turn back to see that Max is overpowering them. He looks to see the soldiers retreating and the tau forces fall back. He sighs and looks on to know what must come next.

Carl calls to Suu. She looks at him to see the look of determination in his eyes.

She says, "Please, do not go back there. He is too strong. You will die if you fight him."

He replies, "As a soldier of the imperial army, I can't leave my commander. I must go and help him. See to it that everyone gets back to the came and stays there until we return. I can't promise you that I will come back alive."

Carl reloads his lasrifle up; he takes a few grenades from his fellow men. They wish him luck as he turns to the south region. He knows what is waiting for him. Before he can leave, he feels Suu pull at his to plead with him once more.

He says, "I can't promise you that I will survive…"

Before any words leaves his mouth, everyone eye looks on with a surprise they didn't see coming. Suu locks her lips with Carl to embrace what seem to be forever. A kroot warrior roars with delight; the imperial soldiers nearby gasps with shock. Once she pulls away, Carl is left confused and puzzled by what she did.

Suu says, "You can't not die on me. I need you return to me alive."

Carl tries to form words, but he quickly adjusts his mind for the upcoming battle. He climbs aboard the jet bike and flies out to the area. As he looks ahead of him, the last few questions come to him.

He thought, _"By the Emperor, why did she kiss me? What made her do that?"_

Suu hurries the men, tau, women, kroot, and ogryn on as they retreat back into the fortress. Before she can escape the others, many soldiers decide to ask the obvious questions.

One soldier says, "Why did you kiss Imperial Guardian Carl?"

A woman asks, "Did you and Carl have something going on before we came out here?"

An ogryn grunts, "Da, you like Carl huh? You two together?"

Suu blushes and tries to hide her emotions. She agrees to answer all the questions once when they all return. Carl rushes forward to find Veldoran still holding his own against him; Lucas stand with busted ribs and a bloody jaw. Shas'O Kais tries to operate his suit, but many functions on it are damaged; Shelia breathes hard and steps backwards from the enemy. Carl sighs and begs them all to fall back from Max. He looks on and sees that nothing has been done to him. All the damage is showing on the land and surrounding area. Carl approaches him slowly only to see Max is still ready for more.

He says, "Max, this is not you. You can't serve Malice. All he wants is to destroy everything and leave nothing left in this life. You are an imperial commander; you are my friend."

He looks to him with eyes of coldness, "This is why I will only invite you now. If you continue to serve the imperium, all of it will fail. The imperium of man is weak; they scheme against each other in power to obtain more power. They seek to misuse those who can control the fate of others and desire glory when all others have died. There is no hope, no peace, and no end to the wars they continue. I did the right thing the day my commander sent me to the planet Saneesh; I was alone and away from the needs of the imperium until you all found me. Now, Malice has shown me that with his power everything changes. He gives it freely and it can be used to set the course of mankind correctly. He wants the same desire I always wanted. I will help him destroy the Dark Ones of Chaos and remove the corpse Emperor of Man from his throne. I just need only one answer from you; it is simple to save yourself than follow the words of fools. Will you serve Malice? Will you help me bring destruction to the imperium and chaos forces?"

Carl looks at his gun and recalls the words of being the last line of defense. He looks to Max to see him pulsating with power. Carl looks closely at Max, only to see something is wrong. With no more need for words, Carl smirks at him only to see a web way portal open at his side. She steps through with mixed thoughts of rage and sorrow. Her fear is at a new height as she steps forward with her blade in hand. Though she only wanted to escape, she now sees that the words sing true as they were spoken to him before. Kayleth now knows that this can end badly for them all.

She looks to Carl, "You should flee while you can. Our friends and allies suffered enough because of his new power. I alone can hold him back."

Carl boldly steps forward, "Even if I run away, where will I go? My commander needs me to be here for him even when all else fails."

Kayleth and Carl stand face to face with Max as he tries to offer them power. They see the parasitic power of Malice coursing through Max. They didn't understand how he got this powerful, but they know he must be stopped. As everyone else pulls away, many begin to wonder the question once asked before: _Is this the last time I live to see a sun rise?_

 **Chapter 12: Section 12 – 2**

The damage is done and everything continues to hurt. No one didn't know what to do against an overwhelming force of power. Lucas is hauling Veldoran away with Shelia covering their rear. Shas'O Kais is limping away from the painful shocks of his suit. Only two fighters stand against the force of Max. They don't understand how or why Max has gone over to serve Malice; all they know is he must be stopped. Kayleth walks to the side with her blade slowly catching on fire. Carl moves forward with his confidence strong and his faith renewed. Max stand at peace and is ready for any attempt on his life.

He says, "Ah, I see. So, even after your crushing defeat, you would dare stand against me once more? I thought your near death experience enlighten you to stay away. I won't make the same mistake twice."

Kayleth snarls at him with her fury rising, "I underestimated you before. That will never happen again, _mon-keigh_. You nearly came close to killing me, but I am ready."

Carl calls to her, "Stop! This is not who you think it is? There is no way this is Max."

She turns to him with disappointment, "Really? This is not Max? If this isn't Max, who is he? Surely, you can feel the power he wields. There is no doubt in my mind about who he is. I won't be fooled by how he has become stronger."

Carl tries to call to her again, but her rage emerges from her power. The uncontrollable power of Khaine shines high into the sky. Carl feels nervous to see her shine so brightly; however, he knows that the opponent they face is not Max. Kayleth tries to strike at Max with her rage, but he counters her technique with ease. Carl continues to call to her only for her fury to blind her to his voice. With two more attempts failed, Kayleth finds herself falling to his might. Carl fires his weapon at Max. The attempt does nothing to him.

Max looks in his direction, "Do you really believe that this will stop me?"

Carl proudly replies, "No, but I know you are not the same Max. I can easily see what you are."

He laughs at his feeble words only to try and strike at Carl; Kayleth blocks the attack only for them both to go sliding backwards into the ground. They both stand back up with Carl throwing down his gun. He moves forward with Kayleth looking at a foolish man.

She says, "You will die against him!"

Carl looks at Max and smiles with a face of hope; the smiling catches Max's interest.

He says, "Why do you smile human? Do you know that this is how your life will end?"

Carl steps forward once and roars, "I know you are not Max. You are just playing a trick on everyone to use their need for war to fuel your master's desire. This battle with the orks only gives him a little. Your plan would have worked were if not for your space marines. So, tell me. Where is Noble One Max Johnson? What have you done with him?"

With his words striking true and unshaken, the form of Max slowly changes into a new being. Kayleth looks on with surprise as the body of Max slowly changes into something larger. The skin tears and rebuilds itself; the face changes and mutates. A set of horns stretch to the sky with a small rip in the warp appearing at his side. The sight is unbearable, but Carl knows who he sees. In mere seconds, a new person stands before them with the mark of Malice on the forehead. The power coming from the being is strong and powerful and nothing resembles Max. The being grips its staff as the warp portal closes and he looks on with eyes of happiness. There are no more secrets. Nothing will be hidden. All that is now before them will be revealed.

The being says, "I am Balrok. Your friend defeated me before, but now you have lost the advantage. With him no longer around you, there will be no chances for your victory. I have all that I need from Malice to be his greatest daemon prince. I leave you this moment to remember how pathetic your life is before I see you for the final sacrifice."

Kayleth comes to Carl's side and damns him, "You overstep yourself Balrok. Where is Max at? Why have you taken him?"

Balrok replies, "Oh, you must be the one I was told about. The one that was hurt by him so badly. I do not understand why he could love you, but your focus should be on your own people. Max is a threat to you as much as he is a threat to Malice. All I did was simply remove him from my sight. Everything is going according to what will be the greatest ascension I shall ever achieve. Once Malice gives me the power I need, I shall slaughter his enemies in his name until I stand at his side. You only postpone your death; you will not win."

Kayleth feels her rage slipping until Carl boast, "We may be awaiting the final curtain to be pulled over our eyes, but I can promise you this, Balrok. You won't achieve anything; you only prolong the conflict that is awaiting you at the end of this journey. Your schemes will fail you. Your plans won't be successful and you will obtain nothing. Malice sees us only as his means to an end; I can promise you that we will be his end. Go back to your dark lord and tell him that the soldiers of the imperium are ready for him. We will find Max and victory will be ours."

Balrok laughs at the pair as he drifts away into the cloud of warp behind him. With Balrok gone, the pair head back to their allies. Before they get far, Kayleth questions Carl.

She says, "How do you know that Max is alive? Balrok already told us that he is gone and can be of no use to us."

Carl corrects the statement, "As he said: _Removed him from his sight._ Max is a blank and if Balrok used any warp powers on him, nothing would have worked. My friend is an unusual blank with powers that keep on growing; anything they tried on him would have ended badly for them. Second, Balrok may be declaring his victory over us, but everything is not a part of their plan. The old orks of Bone Snappa are here to cause their own damage, but we are ready for them too. They out number us; the green horde is endless. The only problem is they face us. I may be not a psyker or a powerful warrior like yourself, but we stand ready to fight this madness until the end. For now, let's get back to our allies and friends. They must hear of what this Balrok is planning for us."

Carl marches off with pride in his heart and faith on his mind; Kayleth didn't understand the reasons, but she believed in his words to a degree. The pair arrives back at the camp and call everyone to a meeting. Lucas and Lina bring their able officers; Suu and Shas'O Kais are escorting Aun El Rai with honor guards. Kayleth, Shelia and Veldoran join them with several pack leaders of howling banshees. As they all take counsel on the affairs of the battle, everyone else continues working as much as they can to reinforce the new landscape. There are more walls of steel and tech to boost the defense; every kind of snare is ready for approaching ork parties. They build more strong points in the south, south-east, south-west, west, and east landscape. Though the factions continue to keep their own people separated, the south region is heavily mixed. From sharing resources to exchanging clothes and providing food, no one expects the area to be so friendly yet organized. Once Carl silences his words on what happen, the uproar of surprise shakes the room.

Lucas says, "Damn that Balrok! I can't believe he used a form of Max against us. I swear by the Emperor's grace he will die."

Veldoran adds, "I didn't think he survived his painful experience against Max, but I was wrong. He is stronger than ever; I pray we can stop him."

Suu interrupts, "How do you know that his words are only lies? Your friend Max was not here and can't be found."

Kayleth answers, "We thought that Max was against us, but I see that the sorcerer of Malice is able to use something against us. None of us were prepared, but there won't be a next time."

Shas'O Kais says, "Even if the orks are still here with us, what is to stop them from using the green skin horde against us?"

Aun El Rai agrees, "It is possible for the orks to mask the real threat to us."

Carl assures everyone, "It is true. We all see what the Sons of Malice are up to, but the orks are something I'm sure they didn't plan on. Regardless if the orks are used for their needs, we must put aside any issues we have and keep our forces aimed at them. We can stop the orks if we work together; the Sons of Malice will fail if we don't fight each other. Max will be found and Balrok won't ascend to daemon hood."

One question looms on the mind of everyone; Shelia asks, "How do we know that Max is still alive?"

Every eye falls on Carl and he answers, "We know Max is alive because he won't give up on us. Even if he a blank and the hatred is strong for his condition, he believes in our cause. I know he is alive because he won't stop fighting the enemy. We cannot stop fighting the enemy either."

The voices of doubt and questions come up more until Lucas says, "There will be enough for tomorrow. Our plan is simple for now; we keep on building the new fortress up since we are stuck here. Once everything is dealt with, we will find a way back to the Milky Way. Everyone dismiss."

The room empties out with only the important ones left inside. Lucas, Lina, Carl, Suu, Shas'O Kais, Aun El Rai, Shelia, Veldoran, and Kayleth are left.

Carl says, "So, we are still working together right?"

Lucas says, "Yes, we are despite the minor issues we have with each other. Speaking of, when did you and Suu become so close?"

He swallows hard and does realize the act of Suu did leave words traveling.

Carl annoyingly replies, "That was unexpected. She caught me off guard."

Kais steps forward, "Be that as it may, she already told me her choice is you."

Carl looks to Suu who tries to hide her blush.

Lina adds, "Yes, it would seem that way. So, why don't you excuse yourself and take her with you? I am sure you want to talk."

He leaves out of the room away from Suu by taking the other exit. With the little information shared among each other, they all agree that nothing else will be done until the fortress is ready. As they all return to their duties, Carl retires for the day and goes to his home. He lets his stuff fall from him and breathes in the surroundings of his home. Before he can take a drink of his water, a knock occurs at his door. He opens it to find her standing there with nervous eyes.

Carl sighs and says, "What in the name of the Immortal Emperor do you want now, Suu?"

She rubs her hands with a nervous smile, "I was wondering if we can spend time together. I am sure you have questions about why I did that."

Instead of letting her in, he stands there at the door way and sips his water. At the home of two imperial leaders, they both look into plans and speak privately.

Lucas says, "I can't believe that all of this is happening. Ugh, I truly do not like this situation. It would seem fate is still showing us why we all must work together. How are you doing, Lina?"

She turns to him and wraps her arms around Lucas, "I am still shaken by everything that is happening. If we are stranded here on this planet, we will do what we can to survive. If Max is alive, we have to find him. I don't see how we can win this alone without our friend."

They both embrace each other with a kiss as they silence the radio chatter. Though the imperium and tau forces are active, the eldar come to a sudden surprise within their own base. Kayleth, Shelia, and Veldoran find the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe no longer present within the ship.

Shelia says, "It would seem that fate has punished us."

Veldoran adds, "I pray that her soul is not in the hands of _Her_."

Kayleth calls to them and says, "If she is gone, Elenwe will be remembered by us. We will not let her sacrifice be in vain. She saved my life and restored us; I made many mistakes before we came here. There will be no more. From now on, we must stay near our allies if we are to survive this ordeal."

The eldar continue to keep their senses alert; the imperial army and tau forces increase the production of their base defenses. As each hours passes by, they keep the fortress improving. In the center of the new tau headquarters, he lets his voice be carried to the followers of the greater good.

Aun El Rai broadcasts his message, "People of the tau. I stand before you all in pain and endure. No more shall I hide from you in a place; I stand with you to face the evil. From the madness of the orks to the dark ones of Malice, we shall stand together to fight this evil together. And we will triumph."

Though he walks among his civilians of the tau, his escort stays near here. Everyone witnesses the ethereal get his own hands dirty to help them build on the new home they are making. To the defenses on the wall, he asks for updates. To the barracks, El Rai inspires his troops to be ready for a moment of surprise. To the homes of the people, he shows care for those who have lost their people. Shas'O Kais continues to gather intel and reports from patrol teams that are further south of the region. Aun El Rai finds him sending out a new team to the east.

Aun El Ray says, "I take it you are getting the details of the land for our soldiers?"

Shas'O Kais turns to him, "Yes, Aun El. I have managed to gather enough details within a five-mile radius of the entire fortress for us all. It will be possible for us to be ready for any attempt on the base. I have supply teams and resource gathers out in the field bring in as much as they can. There have been reports of competitive gathers out there with the imperial forces. I didn't expect this kind of cooperation from them."

As the teams of the imperial and tau continue to gather and bring back resources, they all do what they can to share what they have among each and continue to keep the peace. Though a few humans and tau mingle together, many more remember that they are proud citizens of the imperium of man. The night continues on for many and all they can do is await for the morning sun to come.

 **Chapter 12: Section 12 – 2**

The land is calm and the air is cool. There is peace around the area and nothing is disturbing the surroundings. The warp calmly travels around the area and soothes over the body with ease. It is keeping the person floating in the air; he is at peace himself as he sleeps. There is nothing else for him to think of but the dreams he now sees flashing before his eyes. As he floats perfectly above the ground, the soil is shaken from the rough impact. The noise of grunts is being made. There is annoyance bathing in the air now; there is no words of promise that can ease the problem away. She may have provided a temporary fix to the problem, but it will not last long. The danger continues to grow and will break free. The shackles of the warp will no longer hold him once he awakens. The time table is holding for as long as it can, but all things will come to an end. Balrok and the silent woman chat among each other; he looks over at her work and keeps in rage in check for fear of what can happen. Though the method she used worked, it only brings them time. The problem is still there.

He roars at her, "How did this not work? You assured me that it will be done."

She replies, "He is too strong for me to contain. I only did what I could and sacrificed my own power to make him immobilized. It has left me more vulnerable to everything."

Balrok grips her throat and squeezes, "You better hope this will last long enough to complete our plans. I won't tolerate failure nor will Malice. We are too close to bringing him here for his grand plan to be interrupted by a single person."

He lets her go as they look at the now float body of Max Johnson; the warp circles around him with a strong shield of energy to keep him from moving. Though he sleeps calmly, the other two fear the day he would awake from his slump. Suddenly, a strong wave of warp energy shoots out from him. They both feel what is happening; it is the first of many cracks in her technique. It will break depending on how much time they have. The last thing the silent woman and Balrok recall is how powerful Max has become.

She turns to him, "How much longer will this last? I won't be able to stop anyone with my problems holding him."

Balrok grips his staff and strikes the ground; he mutters and speaks words of spell binding techniques to further hold the warp field around Max. After he is done speaking, the warp spell causes large hands to break from under the ground; the hands wrap around Max and continue to hold him down. A set of warp spells appear on the fingers for additional protection. Normally, this method would have easily destroyed a person's mind; however, the spell is only preventing Max from being a threat to them.

Balrok says, "This spell should buy us more time. I don't think even the chains of torment will be enough to hold him back. I have wasted a third of my power to help you keep him secure. You will stay here with him and prevent his escape should he wake up. For now, I will gather more reinforcements."

As Balrok tries to leave, he is stopped by the silent woman.

She asks, "What if we are too late? What if I can't hold him? If he wakes up, his power will…"

Balrok growls and replies, "If he wakes up, you are to stop him from leaving this area. I have seen the other planets here for us continue our work. For now, the orks may be useful to us if we don't kill them right away. I take my leave of you now. Stay here and keep the warp spells from breaking."

Balrok uses his powers and teleports away from the area. She looks back to see Max completely at peace despite the warp around him and the giant daemon hands holding him. She looks closely and bows her head in silence.

She thought, _"Please, do not let him wake up. He will be the death of us all."_

Balrok appears on the next planet. He takes a knee and calls through the warp to the dark one. He hears his plea for more reinforcements. In mere seconds, a large warp cloud allows a wave of followers to join him. The followers of Malice stand silently before taking a knee before Balrok. He stands to welcome his space marine brothers; they exchange no words. They only agree that the planet they are on will be the birth place for their master. The table is set and the forces of order now stand ready to begin a new battle against the enemy. With no other choice but to continue moving on, everyone stands ready to face their next adventure. The Tau are improving the defenses with the blessed techno woman. All military forces of the imperial army keep their patrols active and travel with kroot warriors. The eldar warlocks channel their warp energy around the camp. Though the spirit stone of Elenwe is gone, they remember what she did to make Veldoran and Kayleth whole again. Every eldar warrior continues to practice and meditate on the daily affairs.

Far in the distant land, the tear down trees and melt down steel. The land was once beautiful until the fires of war burn out everything. No more beautiful flowers bloom from the sun; there will be no colorful planets sprouting out of the ground. All the land around them is black and horrid. The build every kind of weapon and structure to stake their claim. The barracks have gunners ready to fire. The vehicle depos are protected with sentry guns; in fact, the towers are built strong than ever to withstand more fire power. The continue to build up and rally around the nobs of power. A head-butt is here and smack to the ear is there; now the fight to see who is next in line for war chief. Many end quickly once might is proven. Some use sneaky methods to be the next war chief yet none are the war boss of the mobs. The burner boys are roasting the trees. The speed freaks are leaving tire marks on the soil; every rocket flyer is flying high and tank busters are ready to blow up everything. The orks are now more ready for war than ever. The losses do not matter; more orks are always ready for a rampage. They scored a few wins against the forces of order but suffer a few setbacks thanks to the unexpected surprise. The orks of the new war boss continue to build and construct their massive ork base; they would not stop until revenge would be theirs. It is good that they now have new faces to fight. Perhaps, a few skulls will be added to the wall for the war boss. At the top of his massive tower, the war boss declares his Waaagh. He shouts and roars to his orks as they hear his words of greatness.

He says, "I's be War Boss Tharacka! I speak wit da wordz of Gork an Mork. We'z got humies, eldar, and grey-skin ta kill. We'z even got space marines ta kill. So, let'z sho em why we'z deztin ta win. Gatha up ya shootas, gatha up da boyz, gatha up axes, and call all dem boyz! We'z da orkz an dis ere iz gonna be da righ an propa _WAAAAAGH!_ "

The orks cry, "WAAAAAGH!"

They beat the drums and pray to their deities. With the powerful roar, the mobs of orks march out in waves to maim, kill, burn, shoot, and cut. War Boss Tharacka calls for the deities to guide him; he sees a great war occurring all over the planet. His first targets will be the forces of order.

 **(Hello, this has been yet another finish to the story Dawn of War: Fateful Journey. I noticed that I still got a ton of spelling errors yet again. So, endure it and leave your reviews. I will finish up this story with hopefully one more to be added on and yes, this same characters will be here. This is another Big Boss Pugh production. Have a great day and stay happy.)**


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